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News and Event
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Ambassador Zalaa-Uul presents the letter of Credence to the
Governor General Michaelle Jean
 His Excellency Mr. Tundevdorj Zalaa-Uul, Ambassador of Mongolia to Canada presented his Letters of Credence to Her Excellency, the Right Honorable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall in Ottawa , the official residence of Canadian Governors General.
Ambassador Zalaa-Uul is a career Foreign Ministry officer. Prior to his current post, he was Counselor of the Department of the Americas , Middle East and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Ulaanbaatar. Previously, he served two tours in Romania, one as Charge d’Affaires, and as Counselor at the Mongolian Embassy to India. Ambassador T.Zalaa-Uul held several senior positions including member of the Council of Minister for External Relations, directors of chancellery and communications divisions within the Foreign Ministry.
He is a graduate of the University of Bucharest and the University of Political Science in Ulaanbaatar, and also completed higher courses at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow, the Institute of International Relations in Cairo, Victoria University in Wellington , NZ, and the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
Ambassador Zalaa-Uul is the author of two books, namely "Recollections from springtime of life" and "Envoy in Turbulent Times" and has been decorated with the Mongolian Order of the Polar Star and the Order of Freedom. He is married with six children and speaks English, Russian and Romanian in addition to his mother tongue -Mongolian.
In her remarks welcoming Ambassador Zalaa-Uul, Governor General Jean said as follows:
Ambassador Zalaa-uul, I know that you are familiar with a cold climate. Indeed, Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia , is reputed to be one of the few national capitals that is colder than Ottawa !
Of course there are many similarities between our two countries, in addition to the cold climate. We also enjoy vast landscapes, we have small populations, large and powerful neighbours, abundant natural resources, and outward-looking governments.
Excellency, as you know, Canada is the largest investor in Mongolia’s resource sector, and the second-largest overall, after China . Given that strong relationship, it is perhaps understandable that Mongolia ’s Prime Minister Batbold is, to some extent, looking to Canada as a model for development. I am sure both our countries can find effective ways, within our means, to foster greater cooperation.
In addition to our commercial relationship, Canada and Mongolia are also working together to further the cause of peace and security. Canada has provided support for Mongolia ’s involvement in international peacekeeping through our Military Training Assistance Program. Canada also appreciates Mongolia ’s contribution to rebuilding Afghanistan ’s armed forces.
OYU TOLGOI INVESTMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED
The Government of Mongolia signed Tuesday, on 6th October, 2009 a long-term Investment Agreement with Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto that establishes a comprehensive framework for the construction and operation of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mining complex in Mongolia.
The Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement was signed for the Mongolian Government by Mr. Sangajav Bayartsogt, Minister of Finance, Mr. Dashdorj Zorigt, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, and Mr. Luimed Gansukh, Minister of Environment and Tourism, and for the investors by Mr. Peter Meredith, Deputy Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, Mr. Bret Clayton, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto's Copper and Diamonds Group, and Mr. Keith Marshall, Managing Director of Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia Inc.
The signing, at a state ceremony in Ulaanbaatar, was attended by invited guests, including the President, the Prime Minister, Cabinet members, the Speaker and members of Mongolia's parliament, the State Great Hural, and representatives of the diplomatic community.
Source: MONTSAME News Agency
MONGOLIA-CANADA ROUNDTABLE MEETING HELD IN UB
 The fourth Mongolia-Canada Roundtable meeting was held on April 13-14, 2009 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Mongolian and Canadian delegations were headed by Mr. Dashdorj Zorigt, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy and Mr. Leonard Edwards, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada respectively. The two sides noted with satisfaction that the cooperation between Mongolia-Canada has been strengthening in the spirit of “Expanded Partnership” due to the joint efforts devoted to the development of bilateral relations.
During the roundtable meeting the two sides exchanged their views on expanding bilateral relations, in particular the cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, security and good governance.
While reaffirming their desire to increase the exchange of high level visits and strengthen political, economic, trade and investment ties, the two sides emphasized the need to explore avenues for the expansion of cooperation in other areas such as construction, agriculture, environment and education in addition to mining which is the main area of cooperation.
The two sides confirmed their desire to strengthen their cooperation in the international arena, particularly in multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations.
The two sides agreed that the Fourth Mongolia-Canada Roundtable Meeting has been an important event to strengthen and deepen the cooperation between the two countries.
During the roundtable meeting an open forum with Mongolian and Canadian mining sector representatives was held.
The two sides agreed to hold the next roundtable meeting in 2011 in Ottawa.
THE PARLIAMENT OF MONGOLIA BEGINS ITS SPRING SESSION
The Spring session of State Great Hural of Mongolia began on April 6, 2009. This session is expected to discuss many important issues among others drafts on giving MNT1.5 million to every Mongolian as their share of “Motherland treasure”, Oyu Tolgoi investment agreement, on the right and freedom to obtain information, on limiting the use of plastic bags, on the ethical norms to be observed by MPs, on adoption of the 2010 government budget framework, on amendments to the general taxation law, and to the export tax on some commodities, on the use of the money accruing to the Mongolia Development Fund, on approval of the state policy on the development of the minerals sector until 2015, on prohibition of mineral exploration and extraction in water basins and forest areas, and on exploitation of micro-mines. President of Mongolia addressed the session.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON 24 MAY, 2009
As per the schedule set by the General Election Committee (GEC), political parties have announced their candidates for the presidential elections prior to April 5, 2009. The incumbent President H.E.Nambaryn Enkhbayar from the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party and
Mr. Tsahiagiin Elbegdorj, MP from the Democratic Party are officially registered as candidates for the elections. According to a recent survey, 75% of the people are likely to cast their vote. Citizen participation rate was 83% in 1997, 82% in 2001, and 74.9% in 2005. There are about 1.6 million eligible voters are registered.
ADB SAYS MONGOLIAN GROWTH WILL SLUMP TO 3% THIS YEAR
Economic growth in Mongolia will slow to 3% in 2009 before rising to 4.5% next year, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Mongolia’s economy grew 10.6% in 2004, 7.3% in 2005, 8.6% in 2006, 10.2% in 2007, and 8.9% in 2008. The ADB's flagship annual economic publication, ‘Asian Development Outlook 2009’, released on Monday, said growth in East Asia - defined as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Mongolia - will slow to 3.6% in 2009 before rising to 6.5% next year.
The growth projection for the region this year compares with actual expansion of 6.6% in 2008 and 10.4% in 2007.
In the face of economic growth in “developing Asia” slumping to its slowest pace since the Asian financial crisis, the ADB has called on governments to pursue "active" fiscal policies, and warned that rising unemployment could spawn social instability, which in turn could further depress private-sector investment and exacerbate the downturn. "The short-term outlook for the region is bleak as the full impact of the severe recession in industrialized economies is transmitted to emerging markets," said ADB acting chief economist Jong-Wha Lee.
IMF APPROVES CREDIT FOR MONGOLIA
Last week the International Monetary Fund Executive Board approved a $229.2 million credit line for Mongolia to help the country cope with the effects of the global economic crisis. The country has immediate access to $76.4 million of the 18-month standby arrangement, the fund said in a statement. "Mongolia has been severely affected by the global financial crisis through a sharp reduction in the prices of its main mineral exports, notably copper," said Takatoshi Kato, the IMF's deputy managing director and acting chairman of the board. "The authorities' program aims to smooth Mongolia's adjustment to the large terms-of-trade shock, put the fiscal finances on a sustainable footing, allow for a more flexible exchange rate, address weaknesses in the banking system, and mitigate the impact of adjustment on the most vulnerable," he said.
EUROMONEY HONG KONG INVESTMENT FORUM LOOKS AHEAD
With the financial world in turmoil and mining in Mongolia still in the doldrums, the cheer and optimism that marked the two-day session of the Euromoney Mongolia Investment Forum in Ulaanbaatar in September was markedly absent at the Euromoney Mongolia-Asia Investment Forum 2009 in Hong Kong on March 31. Instead, there was some somber reappraisal and a determination to go ahead.
Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, Mr. M.Enkhbold made the keynote address. There were four panel discussions held including on Mongolia’s economic outlook in the face of a global economic turmoil; on political, economic and legal reforms; on Mongolia’s infrastructure needs, and on development and reform in the mining sector. In regard to the mining subjects, panelists talked about the prospects of ending the impasse on large mining projects, if new mining laws will boost competition, the impact of the downturn in commodity markets on investments in Mongolia, and the effect on the Chinese economic downturn on the Mongolian mining sector.
GERMAN RAILWAY TO BUILD FREIGHT RAILROAD FROM MONGOLIA TO CHINA
Deutsche Bahn AG, the Germany railway, is planning to build a 260-km railroad to transport coal from Ukhaa Khudag in the south of Mongolia to the border crossing to China at Gashuun Sukhait. Representatives of Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Mongolia-based Energy Resources LLC signed an accord in Berlin last week during a visit by Mongolian Prime Minister Sanjaa Bayar, the company said in a statement. Construction work will begin this year on the project, costing as much as USD800 million, with the first trains due to run by 2011.
In winning the contract, DB offered to assume responsibility for overall project planning, procurement management, monitoring of deadlines and costs, as well as quality assurance. It will also provide support in connection with establishment and operation of the freight railway, which is to be designed as a single-track line for an axle load of 25 tons.
MONGOLIA LOOKS TO AUSTRALIA FOR POWER NETWORK IDEAS
The inland electricity network in Queensland, Australia could soon be replicated in Mongolia. A Mongolian Government delegation has been meeting Ergon Energy executives to study the company's 64,000 km of power lines in rural Queensland, known as the Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) network. Ergon's Neil Lowry says the SWER system is the most cost-effective and reliable way to provide electricity to rural residents.
"Mongolia is a pretty much undeveloped country in a lot of areas and they are looking at the best means of getting supply to lots of villages and small settlements of around 700 or 800 people, so SWER is one of the options they're really interested in," he said.
US AMBASSADOR PRESENTS SCHOLARSHIPS
US Ambassador Mark C. Minton presented scholarships to 20 students to enroll in English language courses as part of an American program to offer language lessons outside school hours to students in vulnerable groups. The goal is to give Mongolian students more information on U.S. society, arts, culture, sports, customs, etc. The scholarship program has so far covered some 200 students. This year, it is planned to enroll 40 students.
PRIME MINISTER S.BAYAR AT THE UNITED NATIONS
MR. DAMDIN DEMBEREL ELECTED AS CHAIRMAN OF
THE STATE GREAT HURAL OF MONGOLIA (PARLIAMENT)
Mongolia’s new Parliament was sworn on 28 August, 2008 with 67 members. Parliamentary elections were held on June 29 and the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party and Democratic Party won 42 and 25 seats respectively in the 76-member parliament. The Citizens Will Party and an independent candidate secured one seat each. The results for the remaining seven seats have not been officially announced yet due to the alleged election disputes in their respective constituencies. With majority seats in the Parliament, MPRP has the right to form a new government on its own.
The first session of the State Great Hural on Monday elected Mr.Damdin Demberel, member of the Steering council of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) and a member of Parliament, as its chairman. Mr.Demberel has been elected five times consecutively to the Parliament since 1992. While being a Member of Parliament, he held important posts in the State Great Hural, such as Leader of the MPRP Group in the State Great Hural in 1992-1994, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Government Structure in 2000-2004, has been Minister for Social Welfare and Labor since 2007.
He graduated from the School of Economics, Ulaanbaatar majoring in Trading Economics and Technology in 1964 and Academy of Social Sciences, Moscow, Soviet Union majoring in politics in 1977.
He was born on April 15, 1941 in Mankhan Soum, Khovd Aimag.
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