United Nations in Mongolia

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Mongolia:

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02 February 2021

SCHOOL IN THE STEPPES: In rural Mongolia, keeping kids learning while at home

“I have 20 students in my class, and 13 of them are from herder families,” said Byamba, the fifth-grade teacher in a Tsagaannuur soum, Khuvsgul province of Mongolia, located more than 1000 km from the capital. This is a vast country, where nomadic herders are scattered through steppes and mountains, grazing their animals. Many herder children attend remote boarding schools. When COVID-19 hit Mongolia in January 2020, all schools nationwide were closed, sending 900,000 children into remote learning. Classes were broadcast on the national TV channels on topics such as Mongolian language, mathematics, and science. Different channels were geared to different age groups. Later, the classes were also made available online. But it was harder for some kids to keep up than others. “It’s not easy for herder children to keep up the tele-lessons while they are away from school,” says Byamba, the teacher. She explains that many herder children travel long distances with their family and livestock during the harsh winter. Schools reopened in September 2020, only to close again two months later when there was a local outbreak. As the months wore on, more and more students were falling behind in their classes. While solar panels or small generators are increasingly being used by herding families to produce electricity, they are not a reliable source of power. Power outages meant no tele-lessons. For some such families, internet access is a luxury. No opportunities for some children There were other shortcomings to the tele-lessons for some families. A recent study led by UNICEF revealed that five per cent of the children and parents surveyed had no TV or electronic device to access the lessons; sixteen per cent of the children did not attend the TV lessons even when they had devices to use. Among those most lacking access were children from low-income herder families whose parents were working and could not oversee their schooling. Other complaints emerged: teaching on TV is one-way, and the contents are not interesting for young learners. In addition, the lessons weren’t meeting the needs of children with special needs or from ethnic minorities. To address these concerns, the United Nations worked with the Ministry of Education and Science to improve online educational resources with more interactive and accessible models. A joint project by UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNESCO addressed the immediate needs of providing e-learning, enhancing e-content development of core curriculum subjects including health education, and improving education policy in Mongolia, adapted to remote and online learning. UNICEF’s helped create high-quality e-learning contents and introduce technologies for e-learning. As a result, pre-primary and primary school children now have access to e-lessons with animated cartoons that double as a problem-solving activity. After the lessons, children can take quizzes or do other interactive work. “Most children in the countryside weren’t watching the lessons on TV but were using smartphones and other electronic devices,” says Alex Heikens, UNICEF representative in Mongolia. “That makes quite a difference in the way you present the content.” Playing while learning “My son has a form of autism, and it wasn’t easy for him to follow the TV lessons,” says T. Odtsetseg mother of a third-grader. “However, the lessons on the e-learning platform make it a lot easier for him to understand the subjects and work independently.” Another mother echoes that sentiment. “My son gets excited when I call him to take his online lessons,” says B. Uyanga, mother of a 4-year-old preschooler. “He particularly liked the activity where we made paper planes. Pre-school children feel they are playing while learning.” Educators are on board as well. “My students are more interested in the new content,” says one teacher, Ms. Javzandolgor. The joint UN project has already created 86 of the planned 104 lessons and made them publicly available on the econtent.edu.mn. The rest of the lessons are to be completed soon. Since its launch on 25 November, the lessons have gotten over 100,000 pageviews. UNICEF is now working to make the educational contents even more widely available. The content developers are working to create audio lessons, and families who do not have devices to listen will also be given radios. The project also sought to make the remote learning accessible to children with disabilities and children from ethnic minorities to receive the lesson in their mother tongue. Kazakh and Tuva children are now able to receive lessons in their ethnic languages, while all contents are supported with sign language. Meanwhile, UNESCO is working with the Mongolian authorities to harness the potential of ICT to ensure equitable and inclusive learning opportunities for all. Beyond the pandemic “Our aim is to make sure that no one is left out,” says Kaori Ishikawa, Head of Office of the UNFPA in Mongolia, which also supports health and sexuality education through the e-learning platform. “The United Nations is supporting Mongolia in its fight against COVID-19,” says Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator for Mongolia. “This initiative could serve as a catalyst to new innovations in the education sector in Mongolia—during the pandemic and beyond.”

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19 February 2021

COVID-19 vaccines offer hope, but are not a ‘silver bullet’

COVID-19 is far from over. Worldwide we have surpassed 100 million cases, and tragically, more than 2 million people have lost their lives to the disease. These are not just numbers, but people. Each person has a name and a story. And each name is someone’s mother, father, child, brother, sister or grandparent. One year into this pandemic, we have gained a lot of experience. We know what works to slow or stop the spread of the virus. Wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and physical distancing stops transmission, and save lives. We also know that targeted social measures such as lockdowns and stay-at-home orders are effective in stopping transmission, especially if there is community support, though they do have significant economic and social impacts. There is no easy way out of this pandemic and unfortunately, it is far from over. Yet, as we move into our second year of living with COVID-19, additional tools for fighting the virus bring hope. We are now very optimistic about the development of new, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, and many people are asking about vaccines and vaccination. Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer to this question. We anticipate that in 2021, at least in the next few months, demand will vastly exceed supply. While this is the case, we must prioritise those most exposed to infection, and most vulnerable to getting very sick from it – that is, frontline health care workers, and older people. Prioritising these groups is needed in order to maintain health care capacity, and save lives. COVAX (the COVID vaccine facility) aims to provide an initial allocation of doses to Mongolia to vaccinate these highest priority groups (approximately 3% of the population), as quickly as possible within the next few months. Following this, the goal is to provide enough vaccine doses to cover at least 20% of the population – including other priority groups, such as people with pre-existing illnesses which put them at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 – by the end of this year. In most countries, vaccinations will not be available to the wider population until some time after that. But challenges with vaccine production and delivery – for example, with manufacturing – make the precise timing of each of these phases of the vaccine rollout uncertain. Governments, WHO, and other partners are all working very hard to try to secure initial doses for all countries, including Mongolia, as soon as possible. Though vaccines alone won’t end the pandemic, they will be an extremely important additional tool in strengthening our response to COVID-19 when used in combination with the other measures we know work. Current evidence shows that the existing COVID-19 vaccines are effective at stopping disease, but we still don’t know if they prevent people from becoming infected with the virus. This means that being vaccinated will stop you from getting sick, but it may not prevent you from passing the virus onto others. It is also the case that while these new vaccines are very promising, no vaccine is 100% effective. So even once vaccines are rolled out, we must maintain adherence to all the other measures that we know work to stop transmission of COVID-19. In countries with outbreaks and ongoing community transmission, maintaining physical distance, hand hygiene, staying home when sick, avoiding crowed spaces – all the behaviours we have been promoting for the last year – must be continued. In countries that have managed to suppress or even contain COVID-19 transmission, there is still always a risk of future outbreaks. We must continue to prepare for this scenario, and be ready to activate a targeted response whenever necessary. And even as the number of people vaccinated increases, we must not let down our guard. We know that everyone, everywhere is tired of the pandemic. But no country is safe until every country is safe. Until the vast majority of every country’s population has been vaccinated, we must use or be ready to use the measures we know are effective at slowing or stopping the spread of COVID-19. We encourage people in Mongolia, to continue practising advice by the Ministry of Health and health authorities, and thinking about how the actions we take as individuals determine our collective health. Individuals and communities in all countries have the power to influence the course that this pandemic takes next. There is still a lot of work to be done, and WHO together with the Ministry of Health of Mongolia will continue working closely with Mongolia in the fight against COVID-19. We are all in this together. Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific

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23 March 2021

Celebrating Women’s Leadership in Mongolia

Uyanga is an entrepreneur and a mother to three young children. She is the force behind 'Made with Mother’s Heart', the company behind the “UR.mine” brand. The brand, which is a play on words that could be interpreted as “my child” in Mongolian or “you are mine” in English, produces empowering statement clothes for children. Uyanga started her venture in 2017 with as little as MNT 500,000 (USD 175) in capital and an infant to care for. She admits that being a mompreneur has been no easy feat, especially as her three kids are all younger than 4 years. Juggling breastfeeding and working full-time was particularly difficult, and she would even have to bring her babies on trips to local and international markets to buy raw materials. Uyanga reflects that motherhood slows down her career growth, but she prefers to think of her children as her inspiration to succeed. “Caring for my children is not a reason to set aside my business or to give up on my dreams,” Uyanga said. “Rather, my children are the reason why I have been so motivated and energized to succeed. Children are indeed invaluable teachers. They teach us patience. They help us to be more attentive to the needs of others, and to better communicate with those around us. The way I see it, this is what makes women even more powerful, even in running a business.” Now, almost four years and two more children later, her business is thriving despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, and she even has plans for expansion in 2021. This is in part due to the fact that Made with Mother’s Heart was quickly able to adapt during the pandemic. With the demand for her primary products declining during the lockdown, Uyanga turned her eyes instead to produce what was needed instead – face masks. She also adjusted her production plans; she continued producing clothes for infants as babies are still being born every day, but she decided to stop producing clothes for young children as they have been staying at home due to kindergarten and school closures. Beyond pursuing profit to help support her family, Uyanga also makes sure to give back, especially by helping uplift mothers and grandmothers in her community. Made with Mother’s Heart employs grandmothers in their production like. These grandmothers are able to craft products like leather and felt baby shoes in their own homes, which gives them the opportunity to earn for themselves while taking care of their grandchildren. During the lockdown, Uyanga also collaborated with the Goolingo Business Group to organize a training for over 500 fellow mothers on how to start their own small businesses. As a result, 5 participants so far have launched their own businesses using what they have learned from the training. When asked about her plans for the future, Uyanga shared that she hopes to not only expand her company at a national scale, but she is also working on exporting a proudly Mongolian brand produced with materials that are 100% locally sourced. Watch Uyanga's full intervew at MNB Family Delgertsetseg has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. Her father worked in the police force for 32 years up until his retirement, and ever since she was a child, she knew she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her personal hero. She finally achieved her dreams in the autumn of 2008. She graduated from Ikh Zasag University’s Law School, and she took a short course at the Police Academy, which led to her landing a job at the Bayanzurkh District Police Department, despite some early setbacks that came with raising children that were still too young. Today, Delgertsetseg is a police lieutenant in charge of domestic violence cases in the 2nd Division of the Bayanzurkh District Police Department, where her husband also works as an investigator. She shared that one of the things that worries her these days is the domestic violence situation in the country. She believes that husbands and wives need to communicate better to better understand each other and avoid conflicts that could escalate into violence. She also noticed how alcoholism has been a major trigger to the high rate of domestic violence. For example, in one night, an average of 10 perpetrators of domestic violence who commit their offences while drunk is held at the detention center. When Mongolia recorded its first cases of community transmission in November 2020, the government imposed a strict lockdown that was enforced by mobilizing the entire police force and other civil servants. Delgertsetseg was put in charge of 67 civil servants on continuous patrol, and many of these civil servants remarked how they could not believe how hard police work was, even though many of them were glad to help out during this difficult time. All these responsibilities come on top of her regular duty to work on domestic violence cases, which has spiked throughout the pandemic. Delgertsetseg has made sacrifices for her job, including losing precious quality time with her family and risking her own health to keep the country safe during the pandemic. With both her and her husband working especially hard during this time, often from early in the morning until late in the evening, they also had to rely on the help of their eldest daughter who kept the house in order and looked after their younger child. However, the couple truly believes that their family can overcome any difficulties if their relationship is kept grounded on mutual understanding and respect. Even with their busy schedules, the couple would always do their best not to miss special occasions, or at the very least, they would go out of their way to show their affection. Delgertsetseg believes that it is this philosophy and commitment shared between her and her husband that cultivates a warm and supportive environment for their family, and she also believes that such efforts could generally reduce domestic violence in the country. Still, Delgertsetseg has been told many times by her loved ones to shift careers and find something easier to do. But she is not willing to give up on her lifelong dream; she loves her job, and she values her ability to keep survivors of domestic violence safe from further harm. Watch Delgertsetseg's full intervew at MNB Family When Odonchimeg started her journey to become a social worker, she admittedly did not really know what that meant. All she knew was that social workers help people, and that is something she wants to do. Today, Odonchimeg has been serving as a social worker at the Chingeltei District of Ulaanbaatar for the last 14 years, and every day, she works tirelessly to help the many vulnerable people living in very difficult conditions in her community, including the elderly living alone, people with disabilities, and survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). Odonchimeg often spends long hours roaming her community and visiting the homes of people that she knows are struggling to evaluate their conditions and to refer them to agencies that provide the help that they need. She shares that one of the people she looks out for is a man struggling with a mental disorder. Every time she passes by his house, she makes sure to check for smoke coming from his chimney or a light seen through his window. She is always happy to see these small signs because they let her know that he is fine. On days when the chimney is still or the window is dark, she worries and stops by his home to see if he is doing well. Odonchimeg also pays special attention to the issue of domestic violence in her community, tackling it from both the side of the survivor and the perpetrator. She acknowledges that over the years, people have become more aware and less tolerant of domestic violence, which has led to an improvement of GBV detection and an increase in the number of survivors to seek help. However, there is still a knowledge gap among the public regarding the relevant laws that protect their right to live free of violence, and she knows that social workers and other officials like her at the grassroots level need to act quickly to prevent and respond to GBV. This was especially critical during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as they observed a clear increase in the number of domestic violence-related calls and reports. Aside from providing social services to survivors seeking help, Odonchimeg has also been proactive in working with perpetrators of violence. She has initiated trainings and organized support groups to help alcoholics who perpetrate domestic violence to reform their attitudes and behaviors. She admits that it has been a daunting task, but she has already seen some positive results. A fierce passion to help others has always fueled Odonchimeg’s work, but this same vigor sometimes led to difficulties in her personal life. Particularly during her first few years as a social worker, she struggled with handling difficult cases because her empathic nature led to her internalizing the hardships of her clients. She could not stop thinking about their problems and she would spend many sleepless nights in turmoil over their situations. These days, Odonchimeg has gotten better at balancing staying compassionate in dealing with her clients but still placing some emotional distance between her and her cases to protect her own mental health. However, she continues to work tirelessly, sometimes working overnight or throughout weekends. As a result, she has not been able to spend enough quality time with her children, but she always tries to make up for it by spending as much as her free time with them as possible. Even with all these challenges, Odonchimeg feels that it is an honor for her to be a social worker and to help people change their lives for the better. Wath Odonchimeg's full intervewT at MNB Family -------- In celebration of Women’s Month, UNFPA Mongolia in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the MNB Family Network is shining the light on stories of excellence, resilience and leadership of everyday women in Mongolia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stories were first published on the UNFPA Mongolia's website --------

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18 June 2021

Beyond the Pandemic: Transforming Food Systems in Mongolia

Op-ed jointly by UN Resident Coordinator Tapan Mishra and FAO Representative in Mongolia Vinod Ahuja Food is more than just what we eat. It is the foundation of our culture, our economy, and our relationship with the natural world. The way in which we produce, process and consume food, which experts call ‘food systems’, touches every aspect of human life. When they function well, food systems deliver food security and nutrition so we can grow and be active and healthy. When our food systems fail, the resulting disorder threatens our education, health, and economy, as well as human rights, peace and security, affecting those who are already marginalized and most vulnerable. What do we mean by “food systems”? The term encompasses every person and every process involved in growing, raising or making food, right through to consumption and what we do with our waste – from farmers and herders to processors to supermarket cashiers; from flour mills to refrigerated trucks and neighbourhood composting facilities[1]. Hundreds of thousands of Mongolians earn their livings from the food systems. In 2020, agriculture alone accounted for 24 per cent of jobs and about 12 per cent of the gross value added produced in Mongolia. The stress put on food systems by the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the fragility of the systems and the interconnectedness of challenges and their impacts on people, the planet, and prosperity. For many – especially those who were already struggling before the pandemic – the food system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to job losses, hunger and malnutrition. The FAO survey estimated that 72 per cent of households in Mongolia had to compromise on food during the COVID-19 crisis. While COVID-19 may have catalysed food and nutrition insecurity for many more people, it is not the underlying cause of the challenges. Food systems were already inequitable in Mongolia even before COVID-19. 28.4 per cent of the population lived in poverty in 2018 and nearly one in four Mongolians experienced moderate or severe food insecurity[2]. At the same time, the number of people who are obese or who suffer from food-related diseases has been increasing; 55 per cent of Mongolians are overweight, and 20 per cent are obese. At 32 per cent, Mongolia has the second-highest levels of premature mortality among low middle-income countries[3]. At the same time, we continue to waste a significant portion of the food; food waste accounts for 36 per cent of solid waste in Ulaanbaatar city in summer[4]. Climate change is massively interfering with food systems, increasing the frequency and severity of dzuds, droughts, floods, and windstorms. For example, Mongolia experienced one of the most severe dzuds in 2021, leading to a large-scale livestock loss of 1.5 million animals. Yet, the current food systems are also part of the problem. The agriculture sector alone contributes 49 per cent of all greenhouse gases in Mongolia. On 16 October 2019, World Food Day, the United Nations Secretary-General announced his intention to convene a Food Systems Summit in 2021. This decision was based on increasing recognition that transforming food systems must be central in the countries efforts to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For example, food systems and nutrition patterns were identified in the 2019 Global Sustainable Development Report as a key entry point to accelerate the worldwide transition to a more sustainable trajectory[5]. Moreover, in the Ministerial Declaration of the 2018 High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development[6], the UN member states called upon all stakeholders to adopt a sustainable food systems approach. If Mongolia is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the remaining time, its food systems must change. We need to rapidly rethink how we produce, process, market and consume our food, and dispose of our waste. We should turn the COVID-19 crisis into the opportunity to rebalance and transform the food systems in Mongolia making them more inclusive, sustainable and resilient. Mongolia has a significant potential to transition to sustainable food systems, that is already underway. This would require technological innovation, strategic use of economic incentives, cohesive and participatory governance, and behavioural changes. Sustainable intensification of agriculture and strengthening agriculture value chains can help to promote the export of value-added agricultural products and reduce dependence on the import of food to meet food demand for a growing population and sustain rural jobs. Policy and institutional coherence are essential to address the linkages across food systems, climate change and natural resource management. Recognizing these trends and challenges, the Government of Mongolia approved a national program ‘Healthy Food-Healthy Mongolian’ in 2019 that aims to provide citizens with healthy and safe foods. Sustainable food systems approaches have been also mainstreamed in the national development policies, including Mongolia’s Vision-2050 for Sustainable Development and mid-term development programmes. It is also commendable that stakeholders in every sector are beginning to take actions and change their behaviours in support of sustainable food systems. Government and other stakeholders are increasingly aware that food systems are one of the most powerful links between humans and the planet. They want to see a shift in these patterns in the way that enhances inclusive economic growth while safeguarding environment. This has been demonstrated by the strong convening role of the Government of Mongolia in organizing regional and private sector food systems dialogues and the active participation of multiple stakeholders in independent dialogues with youth and civil society. The National Food Systems Dialogue in Mongolia on 6-8 July 2021 will provide an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize on this growing movement and craft a catalytic moment for public mobilization and actionable commitments to accelerate the progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Evidence, ideas, and commitments gained at the National Food Systems Dialogue in Mongolia will not only contribute to the Global Food Systems Summit to be convened by the UN Secretary-General in September 2021 but, most importantly, they will help Mongolia itself to unleash new actions and innovative solutions and strategies to transform the national food systems and leverage the shifts to deliver progress across all Sustainable Development Goals. [1] Why Food Systems Matter https://summitdialogues.org/overview/dialogues-and-the-food-systems-summit/why-food-systems-matter/ [2] FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2020. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca9692en [3] Second Joint Mission of the United Nations Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Mongolia, 5-9 September 2016. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017 (WHO/NMH/NMA/17.50). Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO [4] ADB, Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar Community Food Waste Recycling Project https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-documents/51102/51102-001-pam-en.pdf [5] Independent Group of Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General, Global Sustainable Development Report 2019: The Future is Now – Science for Achieving Sustainable Development, (United Nations, New York, 2019). https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/24797GSDR_report_2019.pdf [6] Ministerial declaration of the 2018 high-level political forum on sustainable development, convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, on the theme “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies” https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=E/HLS/2018/1&Lang=E

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26 May 2021

Mongolian Peacekeepers in the Spotlight

Mongolia observes the International Day of the UN Peacekeepers on 28-29 May. The UN pays tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel’s invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 4,000 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 130 last year. This day is very significant for Mongolia, which ranks 23rd country in the world with its significant contribution of peacekeepers to the United Nations. The celebration of this day becomes even more meaningful as Mongolia commemorates the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s accession to the United Nations and the 100th anniversary of the Mongolian modern Armed Forces in 2021. “On behalf of the United Nations in Mongolia, I express our deep gratitude to Mongolia and all peacekeepers who have served in some of the world’s most challenging hotspots to protect the vulnerable and help to build peace,” said Tapan Mishra in his congratulatory message to the UN peacekeepers in Mongolia. “I am proud that I participated in the UN’s peacekeeping operation in the Republic of Sudan in 2014 and provided most needed medical help to more than 6000 people, including UN staff and civilians in Sudan”, said Sergeant B. Dulamsuren, 34, female, who served as a personnel officer and diagnosis recorder in the Mongolian Level II Hospital Unit in UNAMID. She is one of the 732 Mongolian female peacekeepers. Mongolia has sent more than 18,000 troops to UN peacekeeping operations around the globe. Even today, there are 900 Mongolian peacekeepers, in Abyei, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, the Western Sahara and Yemen under the UN mandate to support and assist in creating a safe and secure environment in the conflict zones and protect civilians from violence. “We salute the dedication and bravery of the Mongolian peacekeepers, whom many of the civilians in the Republic of South Sudan and other regions trust for their safety and security. Their commitment to the world peace is both UN’s and Mongolia’s pride,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. “One of my greatest fulfilment was my involvement in the release of three civilians who were abducted by the armed rebels against the Government in South Sudan”, said Sr Sergeant G. Tsasbayar, who served twice in UN Peacekeeping operations, in Sierra-Leone in 2009 and in South Sudan in 2016-2017. Sr Sergeant Ch. Sereenen, 34, who has recently returned from the UNMISS mission, said that he, as a military observer in the UNMISS operations during 2019-2021, has helped the local authorities and communities in the awareness-raising and prevention from the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic among the local communities who often lack information and are not aware of the deadly global pandemic due to the situation in conflict and unrest.
This year’s Peacekeepers’ day highlights the power and role of the young peacekeepers. The UN Secretary-General reiterated that young peacekeepers, including young women, have played an important role in the UN’s peacekeeping operations. Jean-Pierre Lacroix said: “I honor our young peacekeepers who bring energy and innovation, and serve as role models to youth populations working tirelessly to ensure meaningful representation and participation in political processes.” The General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN’s first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine. Since then, more than 1 million women and men have served in 72 UN peacekeeping operations, directly impacting millions of people, and saving countless lives. Today, UN Peacekeeping deploys more than 89,000 military, police and civilian personnel in 12 operations. Media Contacts: Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications -+1 917 361- 9923, e-mail: coffmand@un.org; or Hector Calderon, Department of Peace Operations +1 917 226 5219 e-mail: hector.calderon@un.org Soyolmaa Dolgor, UN Resident Coordinator's Office, +976 94111220, email: soyolmaa.dolgor@un.org

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20 May 2021

Soil is the solution

Op-ed by the President of the UN General Assembly, H. E. Volkan Bozkir What do you think of when you hear the word “desertification”? Sand dunes slowly encroaching on bountiful farmland? The Sahara and Gobi taking over Africa and Asia? Rivers and streams drying up? That’s certainly part of it. But the key impact of desertification is the degradation of land – to the point where soil becomes so damaged that it no longer supports life. Soil is so much more than dirt. And healthy soil is essential to a healthy planet. The ground beneath our feet is teeming with a hidden world of plants, animals and microbes – many too tiny to see. But our survival depends on them. This overlooked reservoir feeds our agriculture and food industries. It helps to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and keeps plants, animals and humans strong. But today, more than one-fifth of the planet’s land – including more than half of our agricultural land – is suffering. Each year, more than 12 million hectares of land are lost to desertification, land degradation and drought. This loss hurts over 3 billion people, particularly poor and rural communities in the developing world. At the same time, when land is hastily converted to cropland, without considering the overall health of our environment, then carbon and nitrous oxide are released into the atmosphere. Climate change accelerates, biodiversity withers and infectious diseases blossom. This all jeopardizes water supplies, livelihoods and our ability to face natural disasters and extreme weather events. Unless we act now, it’s only going to get worse. Over the next 25 years, land degradation could reduce global food productivity by as much as 12%, leading to a 30% increase in world food prices. We will never achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if we remain complacent. But there is much to be hopeful about – and much that we can achieve together. As we have seen with the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, when the will is there and resources are deployed, humankind can achieve truly astounding feats. Restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 could take between 13 and 26 gigatons of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. For every dollar spent on land restoration – including through low-skilled and labour-intensive projects – at least 9 dollars of economic benefits can be expected. Restoring land not only generates green job opportunities across a wide range of industries – but will also enable us to grow more nutritious food, provide clean water security, address biodiversity loss, and mitigate and adapt to climate change. Whether we’re talking about city dwellers, who need reliable supplies of fruits and vegetables, or island hoteliers, who count on protected beaches and swaying palm trees to draw in tourists, or hospital patients, whose lives depend on nature-derived medicines, one thing is clear. There is no person on earth – or for that matter any being – whose existence is not tied to land. So, what can you do to help protect our land and soil? One simple step is not to waste food – because when farmers work the land to produce food we’re not eating, that just exhausts our soil unnecessarily. And if you’re an urbanite, you can work with your local officials to make your city greener – through such innovative methods as rooftop gardens and vertical forests. Here at the United Nations, promoting land regeneration is a critical part of our work. In the coming months, major conferences to follow up on the three Rio Conventions – the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – will all be held during the same year for the first time ever. This a unique opportunity to reflect on the health of our planet – and on what we can do to improve it and protect our very existence. For my part, on 20 May, I will host a high-level meeting on desertification, land degradation and drought, in the iconic United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York. This meeting – the first of its kind in more than a decade – will build on previous achievements, highlight gaps in our collective efforts and spur momentum towards the three big Rio-related conferences. It will remind us that land degradation is real and needs to be fought. It will show how three seemingly different issues – climate, biodiversity and desertification – are actually intrinsically linked. And it will drive up ambition for global action. The General Assembly is the only body where all 193 Member States of the United Nations sit as equals. So, there is no better place to tackle the problems that transcend borders and affect us all. When it comes to the very earth we stand on – the life-giving soil that sustains us – there is no time to waste. High-level conferences may not improve the situation overnight. But in making sure we’re all on the same page, sharing best practices and taking real steps together, we can change course. Ultimately, we will reverse desertification, land degradation and drought – because there is no other choice. But we will need to work together. We will need to change some of our practices. And I hope the United Nations can count on your support. Learn more at: www.un.org/pga/75/event/high-level-dialogue-on-desertification-land-degradation-and-drought/

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26 April 2021

Tapan Mishra: We must create a culture of zero tolerance to violence and harassment in all society

We would like to speak with you on human rights issues in Mongolia. How satisfied are you with the implementation of human rights measure by the Government? Human rights are one of our key mandates and remain front and center of the foundation of inclusive and sustainable development. I am most pleased to have this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to promoting human rights in Mongolia. I must commend Mongolia for taking some concrete actions in promoting and upholding human rights in the country. The latest development is the adoption of the Law on the legal status of the Human Rights Defenders, making Mongolia the first country in the region to provide legal protection for Human Rights Defenders. In addition, I would like to bring up here, the issue of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) - a unique process that involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. Mongolia was engaged in UPR three times, in 2010, 2015 and 2020. Please allow me to highlight here several examples of numerous achievements and commitments made by Mongolia as reported to the UPR. For instance, moratorium and abolishment of the death penalty; the existence of National Action Plan for Human Rights and National Human Rights Commission; commitment to gender equality including the fight against gender-based discrimination and violence; legal guarantees such as Law on Gender Equality, Law on the promotion of youth development, banning the use of children in winter and summer horse races; amendments to the Constitution, revision of Labour Code, Law to Combat Domestic Violence, Law on National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia and establishment of National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. From the last UPR session held in March 2021, Mongolia received 190 recommendations and accepted 170 of them. The latest recommendations mainly focused on further strengthening of legal framework and protection for specific social groups such as women, children, sexual minorities, persons with disabilities and youth. Major concerns were around violence against women, in particular sexual and gender-based violence, domestic violence, exploitation, sexual harassment and abuse of power, as well as support to victims, survivors and witnesses, legislative protection of rights of girls and women through revision of Criminal Code and Labor Code. You just mentioned the issues related to sexual violence and harassment. I am sure you are following local media about recent incidents in relation to abuse of authority in the military, sexual and other types of harassment allegations, which are now leading to the current outcry of the society. What is the UN’s position on this matter? Yes, we are very aware of these incidents. Let me reiterate that the UN has a policy of “zero tolerance” to violence and abuse. The UN strongly condemns all forms of violence and harassment including gender-based violence, sexual harassment and exploitation and workplace harassment. Here, I would like to reiterate the UN’s position that it is fully committed to addressing this hideous phenomenon through a four-pronged strategy: (a) prioritizing the rights and dignity of victims; (b) ending impunity through strengthened reporting and investigations; (c) engaging with the Member States, civil society and external partners; and (d) improving strategic communication for education and transparency. In our joint UNDP and NHRCM study on workplace sexual harassment in the public administration in 2018, it revealed that 98 per cent of the victims are women. Furthermore, the recent nationwide study among 3000 civil servants by UNDP with the NHRCM showed that one-third of the respondents received some form of sexual harassment at the workplace. This is alarming and unacceptable. So then, what shall we do to hold the perpetrators accountable, and how do we ensure to prevent such violations of human rights in the future? We see a great need for strong advocacy for raising awareness of such crimes and human rights violations. We learnt that there is a strong gap amongst various age groups on a clear understanding of what sexual harassment and violence and harassment are. Definitions vary and lines are often blurred. For example, sexual “harassment” is often classified as a form of gender-based “violence”. This is why the ILO convention defines violence and harassment in the world of work as “a range of unacceptable behaviours and practices” that “aim at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm”. This potentially covers physical abuse, verbal abuse, bullying and mobbing, sexual harassment, threats and stalking, among other things. We must create a culture of zero tolerance to violence and harassment in all society at large, including private and public places. We are happy that the Mongolian public is becoming more aware and rightfully demanding an appropriate course of actions to address this issue. Organizations must have their policies to prevent violence and harassment including sexual harassment at their workplaces. This can be done through essential training and awareness-raising campaigns. Coming forward with stories of sexual harassment and abuse can be very difficult and re-traumatizing, so survivors who come forward must be able to trust that the system will protect them from retaliation and further harm and that their claims would be properly investigated if they wish to pursue legal action. This includes empowered and effective, safe, victim-centred complaint handling institutions with legislative protective guarantees in all sectors including public service and private sector. We must also give a much bigger emphasis on going after perpetrators, shifting the burden of proof from victims/survivors to perpetrators to further encourage information about the crimes to come out. Government must ensure law enforcement for the perpetrators and take swift and due actions with a thorough investigation of alleged cases, regardless of who the victims or the abusers are. Women coming out should be protected and stereotypes and stigmatization should be prevented. We should create an environment where people trust the Government’s actions to protect the victims. The government must continue to invest in mechanisms that provide much-needed services to survivors of harassment and violence. What are UN roles and engagement in addressing these issues? The UN has been doing a lot in this field. In fact, the majority of our work is embedded human rights and gender equality principles. However, we must do more and join forces with the government and all partners to combat these inhumane treatments to our women and girls. Over the years, UN agencies have been strongly advocating for gender equality and addressing gender-based violence in Mongolia. We supported the generation of data and evidence on GBV through the National GBV Survey and other research endeavours, which have been crucial in policymaking and public awareness-raising. Much of our work has been devoted to the creation of a supportive policy environment that protects the rights of women and girls to live without violence, while also setting up mechanisms to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. We also work to prevent sexual exploitation by raising public awareness and have been protecting and providing assistance to victims of trafficking since 2008. We also work on women empowerment, by ensuring equal representation through special measures and quotas and supporting women participation in social and political spheres as envisaged in SDG-5. We also provide support to Mongolia’s tripartite social partners – the Government, employers and workers - on the revision of labour law, and has recommended that the law provisions be in line with ILO Convention C190. Although not ratified by Mongolia, the convention focuses on prevention and protection, enforcement and remedies and guidance and training and adopting an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach. The Parliament is discussing the draft labour law and we hope it will be approved in its spring session. Taking the opportunity, I would like to say that the United Nations stands ready to support the Government to ratify the ILO Convention concerning violence and harassment in the world of work, C.190. Thank you for your time and invaluable information. By O.Ariuntsetseg This is a translation from the interview in Mongolian that was originally published on Daily News on 26 April 2021.

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Story

21 April 2021

Climate action for people and planet: The time is now!

In this pivotal year for humanity, now is the time for bold climate action. The science is irrefutable and globally agreed: to stop the climate crisis from becoming a permanent catastrophe, we must limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To do this, we must get to net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by mid-century. Countries making up about two-thirds of the global economy have committed to do so. This is encouraging, but we urgently need every country, city, business and financial institution to join this coalition and adopt concrete plans for transitioning to net zero. Even more urgent is for governments to match this long-term ambition with concrete actions now, as trillions of dollars are mobilized to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Revitalizing economies is our chance to re-engineer our future. The world has a strong framework for action: the Paris Agreement, in which all countries committed to set their own national climate action plans and strengthen them every five years. Over five years later, and with damning proof that if we don’t act we will destroy our planet, it is time for decisive and effective action as the United Nations convenes all countries in Glasgow in November for COP26. The new national plans must cut global greenhouse gas pollution by at least 45 per cent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. Many have been presented already, and set out clearer policies to adapt to the impacts of climate change and boost access to renewable energy. But so far, those plans achieve less than a 1 per cent cut in emissions. This is a true red alert for people and planet. In the months ahead, beginning with the upcoming Leaders Summit hosted by the United States, governments must dramatically step up their ambitions – particularly the biggest-emitting countries that have caused the vast bulk of the crisis. Phasing out coal from the electricity sector is the single most important step to get in line with the 1.5-degree goal. Immediate action to remove the dirtiest, most polluting fossil fuel from power sectors offers our world a fighting chance. Global coal use in electricity generation must fall by 80 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030. This means that developed economies must commit to phasing out coal by 2030; other countries must do this by 2040. There is simply no reason for any new coal plants to be built anywhere. One-third of the global coal fleet is already more costly to operate than building new renewables and storage. COP26 must signal an end to coal. As the world moves toward clean air and renewable energy, it is essential that we ensure a just transition. Workers in impacted industries and the informal sector must be supported as they move jobs or reskill. We must also unleash the vast power of women and girls to drive transformation, including as equal participants in governance and decision-making. The countries that contributed least to climate change are suffering many of the worst impacts. Many small island nations will simply cease to exist if we don’t step up the response. The developed countries must deliver on their commitments to provide and mobilize $100 billion annually by: doubling current levels of climate finance; devoting half of all climate finance to adaptation; stopping the international funding of coal; and shifting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The G7 Summit in June offers the opportunity for the world’s wealthiest countries to step up and provide the necessary financial commitments that will ensure the success of COP26. While governments must lead, decision-makers everywhere have a vital role to play. I ask all multilateral and national developments banks, by COP26, to have clear policies in place to fund the COVID recovery and the transition to resilient economies in developing countries, taking into account crippling debt levels and huge pressures on national budgets. Many local governments and private business have committed to net zero emissions by 2050, and have engaged in significant reviews of their business models. I urge all to set ambitious targets and policies. I encourage young people everywhere to continue to raise their voices for action to address climate change, protect biodiversity, stop humanity’s war on nature and accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Time is running out, and there is much hard work ahead, but this no time to raise the white flag. The United Nations will keep flying our blue flag of solidarity and hope. This Earth Day and over the crucial months ahead, I urge all nations and all people to rise together to this moment.

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Press Release

19 November 2021

UN and Mongolia partnerships will shift from development assistance to development cooperation

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister noted that the 60 years of fruitful cooperation between the UN and Mongolia will be further elevated to a new level of partnerships within this new cooperation framework. He further expressed his appreciation for the UN Mongolia for aligning its strategic priorities with the Vision 2050 – the long-term development policy of Mongolia. Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator highlighted that this Cooperation Framework is the first strategic document in Mongolia that is being elaborated within the UN development system reform. He further noted that the UN Mongolia will fundamentally shift the development system approach from assistance to cooperation with Mongolia. Thanks to the extensive consultations with its multistakeholder partners, including the Government agencies, private sector, development partners, CSO, academia and youth, the UN Mongolia envisions that its key priority areas of cooperation will be geared to human development and well-being, green, inclusive and sustainable growth, and people-centred governance, rule of law and human rights. The Council meeting approved the draft strategic priorities and outcomes within the new UNSDCF to be implemented for 5 years since 2023.

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Press Release

17 November 2021

Protecting National Critical Infrastructure from Terrorists' Cyber-Attacks in Mongolia

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Tapan Mishra, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Mongolia highlighted that “the global COVID-19 pandemic created an additional reliance of society on the use of new technologies, which, consequently, increased the vulnerability of the population to terrorists’ cyber-attacks. Under the leadership of UNCCT and its Global Programme on Cybersecurity and New Technologies, this workshop is bringing the best cybersecurity and counter-terrorism expertise across the United Nations system and beyond to support Mongolia in establishing a solid critical infrastructure protection framework to prevent and respond to terrorist cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure”. Mr. Odonbaatar Peljee, Director General of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre of Mongolia stressed that “rapid development of information technology is offering multiple opportunities worldwide. Nonetheless, its misuse by terrorists and other criminal groups is creating a new challenge. As of Mongolia, we expeditiously consider improving our cybersecurity system and consequently ensure the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorist cyber-attacks. For instance, President of Mongolia Mr. Khurelsukh Ukhnaa has expressed his full support for National Counter-Terrorism Council in combat against cyber terrorism. He added that "in addition, a package of draft legislations such as Law on Cybersecurity, Law on Public Information, Law on Protection of Personal Information, Revised Law on Electronic Signature are scheduled to be discussed by the Mongolian Parliament this week." "I am confident that this national workshop will raise awareness of the risks of potential cyber-terrorist attacks on our country's critical infrastructure and build a national preparedness system and immunity against cyber terrorism," he concluded. The two-day workshop was part of the UNCCT Global Programme on Cybersecurity and New Technologies, implemented in close coordination with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Kingdom’s Home Office and Mongolia’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre. It was attended by over 200 participants from Mongolia’s counter-terrorism and law enforcement agencies, relevant ministries in charge of critical sectors, cybersecurity organizations, owners of critical infrastructures from the financial, health, energy and other critical sectors and academia. Organized at the request of the Government of Mongolia, the workshop contributed to raising Mongolia’s awareness of terrorist cyber-threats to national critical infrastructures. It also helped strengthen the skills and capacities of relevant government agencies, private sector actors and academia to conduct a national cyber-risk assessment and develop critical infrastructure protection frameworks. The workshop ended with a table-top exercise on responding to a terrorist ransomware attack against a critical infrastructure, which fostered inter-agency and public-private sector collaboration on cybersecurity. The workshop was funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Press Release

02 November 2021

UN Mongolia co-creates its new strategic cooperation framework for 2023-2027

The UNSDCF is a centerpiece of the UN development system reform initiated by the UN Secretary General in 2018. The Cooperation Framework will represent the UN development system’s collective offer, including of resident and non-resident UN agencies, to support Mongolia in addressing key priorities and gaps in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In his opening remarks, Mr. Tapan Mishra emphasized that UN Mongolia’s new cooperation framework with Mongolia must be aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Mongolia’s international obligations and as well as Mongolia’s development priorities through Vision 2050. He further underscored that the new Cooperation Framework places an emphasis on “development cooperation” with the Government and partners rather than “development assistance”. Mr. N. Ankhbayar, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that this is a critical year as Mongolia celebrates the 60th anniversary of its membership to the United Nations and noted that Government welcomes the UN system reform and its new strategy for Mongolia that aims to deliver tangible development results for people of Mongolia. Ms S.Suzanna, Head of the Development Policy and Planning Division of the National Development Agency noted that Mongolia is committed to sustainability and continuity of development policy and needs to improve coordination between different development-related policy documents that are in place in Mongolia. She further highlighted that more new and innovative financial mechanisms are essential to implement the development policies in Mongolia. In order to create a common and shared vision for Mongolia, UN Mongolia is consulting with all partners, ranging from all sectors of the government to the private sector, civil society and academia. This collective vision will support the UN Mongolia’s strategic priorities for the next cooperation framework to put Mongolia on a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive path. The UNSDCF visioning and prioritization workshop is being jointly organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Development Agency. The workshop will continue in the next 2 days until 4 November 2021.

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Press Release

20 October 2021

UN Week – Joint celebration of the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s accession to the United Nations

To celebrate this special occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and the United Nations Country Team in Mongolia jointly launched the “UN Week” from 20 to 27 October to promote the significance of this historical milestone to the Mongolian public, as announced at a press conference held on 18 October at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the press conference, the UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia congratulated the people of Mongolia on the 60th anniversary of Mongolia’s joining the UN. He further underscored that partnerships between the UN and Mongolia that have matured into a strong and mutually beneficial partnership over the last six decades. “We are happy that the UN has contributed to Mongolia in its socio-economic development, environmental protection, promotion of democracy and human rights,” he added. “The entire UN Mongolia Country Team is determined to support Mongolia to further accelerate its progress to sustainable and inclusive development through our stronger partnerships in the next 60 years.” Today, the UN week was launched by a tree planting event at Mt Bayanzurkh, 15 km from Ulaanbaatar City. In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. B. Munkhjin said: “Tree planting is considered as one of the most effective ways to restore degraded land and reverse desertification.” At the tree planting event were the representatives from UN agencies in Mongolia, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Environmental Department of the City Mayor’s Office, as well as senior diplomats. This event becomes even more significant as it contributed to the pledge by the President of Mongolia who announced at his address at the UN’s General Assembly that he would mobilize a national tree planting movement to plant up to billion trees by 2030 in order to contribute to climate action. The Programme for the “UN Week” 20 to 27 October: 10/20/2021 - Wednesday “UN Week” Kick-Off: Tree Planting event 10:00 – 12:00* Mt. Bayanzurkh (BZD) 10/21/2021
Thursday “The historic process of joining the United Nations” Book launch 10:00 – 11:00 MFA
Zuvshiltsul Hall Photo Album Launch and Photo exhibition 15:00 - 16:00 MFA
“Mutriin Tushee” Hall 10/22/2021
Friday “Model UN” Closing 09:00 – 17:00 NUM Building 1 and Library “Press Freedom” Book launch
10:00 – 11:00 MFA 10/23/2021
Saturday “Model UN” Closing NUM 10/24/2021
Sunday First episode airing of “Altan Argamj” 19:20 – 20:00 Mongolian National Broadcasting TV “Mongolian News” Channel 10/25/2021
Monday Scientific & Research Conference
09:00 - 12:00 MFA (Zuwshiltsul Hall) 10/26/2021
Tuesday Postal Stamp Launch
10:00 - 11:00 MFA (Nomin Hall) Award ceremony for the winners of the Essay and Drawing Competition among children
15:00 – 16:00 MFA (101 Hall) 10/27/2021
Wednesday Airing of a documentary
to the public
20:30 – 21:00 MNB TV
1st Channel

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Press Release

04 October 2021

Mongolia’s renewed commitment to accelerating the implementation of the SDGs

In his opening remarks, H.E Speaker of the Parliament G. Zandanshatar highlighted the importance of multilateral cooperation for the intensification of the SDGs in Mongolia while announcing that a Multistakeholder Council for Sustainable Development (MCSD) will be set up at the Parliament of Mongolia to ensure coordination and whole of society approach for SDGs implementation in Mongolia. H.E. L.Oyun-Erdene, Prime Minister of Mongolia emphasized some of the key measures by the Government for the socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic within a short period of time. He underscored the Government’s recent commitment to the Government budget for 2022 that included some reforms towards sustainable financing. For instance, the Government aims to support stronger a middle-income group of the population as a way to eradicate poverty and end hunger nationwide. Therefore, the development policies will be shifted from social welfare to the creation of employment opportunities for the people. H.E. L.Oyun-Erdene, Prime Minister of Mongolia emphasized some of the key measures by the Government for the socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic within a short period of time. He underscored the Government’s recent commitment to the Government budget for 2022 that included some reforms towards sustainable financing. For instance, the Government aims to support stronger middle-income group of population as a way to eradicate poverty and end hunger nationwide. Therefore, the development policies will be shifted from social welfare to the creation of employment opportunities for the people. The UN Resident Coordinator Tapan Mishra thanked Mongolia’s Government for their decisive actions and commitment to the SDGs in the midst of the fight against the devastating pandemic. “I am particularly pleased that the National Committee for Sustainable Development has recently adopted the national SDG targets and indicators and look forward towards the Parliament’s support in reviewing and adopting them during the upcoming sessions. Anchoring the nationalized SDG targets and indicators in the national development policies and programmes, supported by adequate financial resources and monitoring mechanism, is crucial for achieving the 2030 Agenda” said Tapan Mishra. The keynote speech of the forum was delivered by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Chief Economist, UN-DESA Mr. Elliott Harris, who accentuated the effective recovery from the extreme impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that has exacerbated the various forms of vulnerabilities and interdependence the world faces today. “Governments can now formulate more ambitious policies aimed at reducing vulnerabilities an integral objective of the recovery plans,” said Mr. Harris. He further noted that the pandemic has underscored the importance of social protection, the need to buttress public health systems; and the accelerating digitalization of the economy. “It has shown that we need to put greater emphasis on improving the quality of investments in education, health, basic infrastructure and information and communications technologies, within the existing resources,” he added. Among the esteemed panellists were the Deputy Speaker of Parliament S.Odontuya, MP J.Ganbaatar, MP B.Battumur and MP M. Oyunchimeg, who gave a broader overview on the legal frameworks on localizing SDGs in Mongolia and adoption of nationalized targets and indicators by the Parliament. At the second panel discussion of the forum, the role of the private sector was highly emphasized, as noted the Member of Parliament J. Ganbaatar noted that the private sector that has good governance will be the driving forces for the acceleration of the agenda for sustainable development. Acknowledging the fact that achieving the SDGs is everyone’s business, the UN Mongolia welcomed the Parliament’s leadership the acceleration of the SDGs through this important multi-stakeholder mechanism. It implies a new set of partnerships involving parliamentarians, national and local governments working with the private sector, academia, civil society and development partners, as emphasized by the Resident Coordinator. At her closing remarks of the forum, Ms Kh.Bulgantuya, Member of Parliament and the Chair of the Sub-Committee on the SDGs announced the launch of the Multistakeholder Council for Sustainable Development (MCSD) to be an effective regulatory mechanism, which will serve as a platform for cohesive and coherent policy-making and implementation for achieving the 2030 Agenda and Vision 2050.

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