Press Release

Mongolia’s Second National Voluntary Review on the SDGs Implementation kicks off

22 November 2022

Today, the Government of Mongolia, represented by the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) and the United Nations in Mongolia launched the Second National Voluntary Review (VNR) on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Mongolia.

Batjargal Khandav, the State Secretary of the MED, who is the chairperson of the multistakeholder working group for VNR preparation stressed that effective policies and decisions can be achieved for effective implementation of SDGs in Mongolia only with a broad representation and involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

Ensuring to bring the voices of all key players, including the Government, civil society, academia, and the private sector, this initiation workshop laid the groundwork for the rigorous process of the elaboration of the VNR, as elaborated in the roadmap below:

This review aims to assess and present national progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda at the UN’s High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July 2023.

In his opening remarks, Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia emphasized that the analysis in the Second VNR should demonstrate progress from the previous VNR and the impact of the measures Mongolia presented in 2019.

He also expressed that this analysis should reveal the impacts of the many external shocks that occurred soon after the first VNR on the SDGs achievement in Mongolia.

Mongolia was hard hit by the impacts of COVID-19, which left a considerable mark on the socio-economic spheres, especially affecting those at risk of being left behind.

The recent global crisis has also left a remarkable impact on the economy and the livelihoods of people in Mongolia, as evidenced by the recent joint study by the UN in Mongolia.

Therefore, Mongolia needs to take more concerted and coordinated interventions to ensure better socio-economic recovery from the shocks and crises.

In this regard, this Second VNR will present an overall picture of Mongolia’s progress as well as challenges as highlighted in the Government’s New Recovery Policy in order to lead its way to inclusive and sustainable development for all Mongolians.