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BUSINESS COUNCIL of MONGOLIA
NewsWire
www.bcmongolia.org
info@bcmongolia.org
Issue 249 – November 23, 2012
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:
Business
 Oyu Tolgoi tests copper concentrator;
 SouthGobi to lay off 200 workers;
 Russia considers opening Erdenet Mining to strategic partner;
 Mongolian firm announces plans to open synthetic diesel plant in 2013;
 Fitch affirms XacBank's “B” rating, outlook stable;
 Development Bank appoints deputy director;
 Erdenet Mining director holds onto top position;
 Prophecy makes management appointments;
 Government looks to name Khushuut coal mine as strategic deposit;
 Chinggis Khan brand vows to bring spirituality to vodka;
 BCM talks Mongolian investment climate at IFE;
 Landslide claims three lives at Nalaikh mine;
 Entrée releases Q3 interim results;
 GE's growth in wind reflects changing nature of world markets.
Economy
 Mongolia government meeting investors for possible dollar bond sale;
 Mining Ministry and Central Bank team up to stabilize fuel prices;
 Don't be so hasty to throw out international tax agreements, says IMF;
 Growing power usage weighs heavily on aging infrastructure;
 BPI raises the bar for quality;
 Erdenet to receive world-class stadium;
 12 students win MNT 48 million in scholarships;
 Poor harvesting spoils flour production following largest-ever harvest;
 District government plans to convert Tourist Street into parking lot;
 MNMA looks for investment into mining sector from Korea;
 BPI leads trainings to get companies to meet environmental regulations;
 Mining bonanza;
 Water gone to waste;
 Nomadic lifestyle under debate;
 Holiday donations;
 Investors make swift grab for gold.
Politics
 DP claims victory in local elections;
 Government and Mongol Bank target stable food prices;
 Academics submit mine closure bill;
 New tax on property used for business begins 2013;
 Mongolia ascends in OSCE membership;
 Japan, N. Korea begin new round of talks in Mongolia;
 Mongolia, N. Korea pledge to boost cooperation;
 President extends invitation to N. Korea's Kim Jong-Un;
 Australian minister raises lawyer's detention with foreign minister;
 Qatar's ambassador presents credentials;
 Mongolia, India sign military cooperation agreement;
 Soldier dies of health problems while serving in South Sudan;
 Enkhbayar's son exits MPRP;
 Call for Gobi bear's protection in 2013;
 Mongolia-Tibet ties still strong, says Dalai Lama.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
 MSE Top 20 Index by market Capitalization;
 Foreign-listed Companies with Mongolian Assets;
 Inflation;
 Central bank policy rate;
 Currency rates.
*Click on titles above to link to articles.
SPONSORS
Khan Bank Eznis Airways
Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace Mongolian National Broadcasting
Breakthrough PR Oxford Business Group
BUSINESS
OYU TOLGOI TESTS COPPER CONCENTRATOR
Oyu Tolgoi LLC has begun testing of its copper concentrator plant now that electricity is being
delivered to the copper and gold mine from China.
Oyu Tolgoi will begin decommissioning its diesel generators with electricity from China now being
delivered to site. According to L. Tsend of Energy International, the site will receive electricity
from 220 kilowatt electrical lines already built and leading to the mining site. Electricity usage will
grow from 12 megawatts to 100 megawatts once the plant is commissioned.
For the next half month, the mining firm will test equipment at the plant. It expects tests will be
complete and the plant will be in full operation by 1 December.
The concentrator plant has the capacity to process 100,000 pounds a day and 35 million pounds a
year. Company officials said they expected export to China would begin in the first half of next
year.
Source: Udriin Sonin
SOUTHGOBI TO LAY OFF 200 WORKERS
SouthGobi Sands LLC announced that it will have to let go more than 200 employees. Company
employees have responded with an appeal to the Trade Union of Energy, Geology and Mining.
Source: Zuunii Medee
RUSSIA CONSIDERS OPENING ERDENET MINING TO STRATEGIC PARTNER
Rostechnology has proposed that Russia sell some of its interest in its joint venture with the
Mongolian government in Erdenet Mining Corp.
Russia currently holds a 49 percent stake in the projects, with the Mongolian government holding
the remaining majority stake. According to Rostechnology Director Sergei Chemezov, a strategic
partner might bring more capital to invest into modernizing Erdenet Mining's facilities and
extraction techniques.
Analyst Oleg Pterpovalovski suggested a number of global players such as Rio Tinto PLC, which is
currently leading the development of Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine, BHP Billiton Ltd., or
Glencore International PLC.
Source: Udriin Sonin
MONGOLIAN FIRM ANNOUNCES PLANS TO OPEN SYNTHETIC DIESEL PLANT IN 2013
The director of a Mongolian industrial firm told media he could have a plant producing synthetic
diesel from brown coal within a year.
Ulziit Center LLC Director N. Dash-Ulzii said he hoped to take coal from the Baganuur brown coal
deposit to produce synthetic diesel. He said the Ulziit Center had conducted a small-scale
experiment over the past three years to test this idea, having found in its latest experiment that it
is indeed possible.
"As an engineer, I examined the possibilities of converting brown coal to diesel in Mongolia over the
past 10 years. Mongolia depends on the import of diesel from abroad, but we have abundant
resources of brown coal."
The diesel produced at the Ulziit Center lab has been sent for further examination by another
facility, said Dash-Ulzii. Scholars, experts, and government viewed a demonstration, he said, adding
that he was confident in the results of the experiment.
The Ulziit Center is now in discussion with the government for a medium-scale plant near the
Baganuur mine. However, acquiring the necessary equipment, training, and supplies may be a
challenge down the road.
"Medium scale plants are rare in the world, so there is no ready-made machine or supplies. We can
order supplies and machines that would fit our model from abroad and assemble them in Mongolia."
The plant would be able to process some 8 million tons of coal for 2 million liters of fuel, said Dash-
Ulzii. He said such a project could be completed within a year.
Source: Udriin Sonin
FITCH AFFIRMS XACBANK'S “B” RATING, OUTLOOK STABLE
Fitch Ratings has affirmed XacBank LLC's long-term issuer default rating (IDR) at ―B‖ and its short-
term IDR at ―B.‖ The Outlook is stable.
The ratings capture XacBank's ongoing business model changes and the likely pressure this will bring
on its asset quality, liquidity and capital. XacBank, a traditional microfinance institution, is
increasing riskier small-medium enterprise (SME) lending, which will likely lead to higher loan
concentration and impairment rates. In addition, it increased XacBank's vulnerability to change in
the operating environment and the economy due to the nature of SME lending and the bank's
limited expertise in the area.
The bank continues to seek market funding, which in Fitch's view will accelerate the shift in its
business model to SME lending and its funding structure to market funding as well as increase its
funding costs. The bank had planned to issue up to USD 200 million in senior unsecured notes in
March and September 2012 to ease tight liquidity and support further credit growth, but this was
held back both times by difficult market conditions.
A negative rating could come of relaxed underwriting standards to grow its SME book rapidly
without bolstering capital and liquidity. Upgrade prospects are slim, given a limited scope for
improvement in the bank's loss-absorbing ability due to further credit growth and pressure on
profitability from higher funding and operating costs.
Source: Fitch Ratings
DEVELOPMENT BANK APPOINTS DEPUTY DIRECTOR
The Development Bank's board of directors has appointed S. Sandagdorj as its new Deputy Director.
Before his appointment at the bank, Sandagdorj worked as Deputy Director of Khadgalamj Bank
LLC. The position has remained opened since last July when L. Bolormaa was dismissed from the
post.
Source: Zuunii Medee
ERDENET MINING DIRECTOR HOLDS ONTO TOP POSITION
The head of Erdenet Mining Corp. has reportedly retained his position amid numerous changes in
the company's management.
Parliament Speaker Z. Enkhbold met with Russian officials last week to discuss changes in
management in the company. Before the meeting a rumor was reported by media that Director Ch.
Ganzorig would be replaced, but another unnamed source has said government found no reason to
do so. However, other top directors and vice directors were dismissed and replaced.
Source: Udriin Sonin
PROPHECY MAKES MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS
Prophecy Coal Corp. has announced the appointments of D. Bailikhuu as country advisor, D.
Damdinjav as a project manager, and K. Bekzod as business development manager.
Bailikhuu has over 29 years of privatization and deregulation policy experience in Mongolia. He is
currently advising the State Property Committee (SPC) on a range of issues including the
development of a policy on the restructuring and privatization of state-owned enterprises in
Mongolia, corporate governance, post-privatization restructuring of state-owned entities, and the
development of a regulation policy relating to Mongolia's infrastructure sector.
Damdinjav has 20 years of electrical engineering, power distribution, and generation experience in
Mongolia. Before joining Prophecy Coal, Damdinjav was the deputy director of the energy
department at Newcom Group, one of Mongolia's leading business groups, where he was responsible
for technical supervision, technical proposal development and project management of the Salkhit
wind farm and the Ulaanbaatar's Power Plant No. 5. Prior to that, Damdinjav worked as a consultant
for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank's (ADB's) energy projects in Mongolia and at the
Energy Authority and Central Energy System.
Bekzod has worked at Ulaanbaatar-based Eurasia Capital and was responsible for providing advice
on raising capital to international and local companies in Mongolia. He has served on the board of
directors of several Mongolia-focused companies.
Source: Prophecy Coal Corp.
GOVERNMENT LOOKS TO NAME KHUSHUUT COAL MINE AS STRATEGIC DEPOSIT
The government is targeting the nationalization of the Khushuut coal mine, which is currently
licensed to Hong Kong-listed Mongolian Energy Corp.
On a Saturday meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Mining D. Ganhuyag introduced a plan
to include Khushuut on the list of Mongolia's strategic deposits, reported local media. Ganhuyag
highlighted the fact that once the mine is operational, it would meet the requirements of a mine of
strategic importance.
Government ordered that Gankhuyag prepare the matter for discussion by Parliament.
Source: BDSec JSC
CHINGGIS KHAN BRAND VOWS TO BRING SPIRITUALITY TO VODKA
APU is set to launch a new high-end vodka brand from Mongolia into global travel retail in 2013.
Chinggis Khan Vodka is made with wheat grown on the Mongolian steppes, distilled six times with
pure alpha grain spirit, then filtered for over 500 hours through charcoal, quartz, diamonds, black
pearls, and silver, the company said. The vodka is finished with spring water from an ancient well—
melt water from the sacred Bogd Khan Mountains' snow.
Chinggis Khan Vodka was presented at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes last month, with the
―primary objective to raise interest in Mongolian vodka ahead of our 2013 launch,‖ said
International Sales and Marketing Director Jett Yang.
―We were very encouraged by the trade's reception to our unique product story and quality
credentials,‖ he continued. ―Most visitors had never heard of or experienced Mongolian vodka
before meeting us, so we were very excited to get our story to a wide audience. We will be the new
news in vodka in 2013.‖
Chinggis Khan Vodka will make its debut in global travel retail in 2013. The guide retail price is
described as 20 percent more than its rival Grey Goose, reflecting the high-end luxury positioning.
Source: Moodie Report
BCM TALKS MONGOLIAN INVESTMENT CLIMATE AT IFE
The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) gave a presentation on investing in Mongolia at the Institute
of Finance and Economics (IFE) on 20 November.
Jim Dwyer delivered a presentation entitled ―Business Investment Environment in Mongolia‖ to an
audience of more than 80 graduate students. Dwyer ended his speech nothing Mongolia's greatest
assets are its human resources rather than the natural resources under the earth.
BCM has been pushing forward its ‗BCM in the Classroom‘ series since March 2012. Led by BCM's
Education Working Group, the program provides lectures at universities to help inspire students and
give them direction for their future careers.
The next ‗BCM in the Classroom‘ series event will be held on 30 November at the IFE with speaker
D. Achit-Erdene, president of Mongolian International Capital Corporation (MICC).
Source: BCM
LANDSLIDE CLAIMS THREE LIVES AT NALAIKH MINE
Three people died in a recent mining accident in Nalaikh Soum last week.
The deaths of the three individuals aged 50, 30, and 23 occurred as a result of a landslide at a
private micro mine. Although a rescue team of 150 personnel arrived to try to save them, they
could not reach the people, who were reportedly buried 60 meters underground.
The incident is currently under police investigation.
Source: Udriin Sonin
ENTRÉE RELEASES Q3 INTERIM RESULTS
Entrée Gold Inc. filed its interim operational and financial results for the quarter ended 30
September.
Development of the Oyu Tolgoi mining complex continues at a rapid pace, with Turquoise Hill
Resources Ltd. announcing on 5 November the power purchase agreement with Inner Mongolia
Power Corp. Phase one construction is essentially complete and the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold
project is now on the verge of commercial production. Exploration of various targets continues on
the Entree-Oyu Tolgoi joint venture ground. One diamond drill is currently operating north of the
Hugo North extension deposit along the Oyu Tolgoi copper belt.
Entrée Gold has identified two gold zones, Zone II and the Argo Zone, on its licensed area.
Trenching in 2012 has confirmed and expanded the mineralization discovered last year by reverse
circulation drilling, returning up to 81.4 grams per ton of gold over three meters within a broader
mineralized zone approximately 400 meters long by 130 meters wide.
―During the most recently completed quarter, we focused on preparing a preliminary economic
assessment for our Ann Mason deposit in Nevada and completing our Shivee West work program in
Mongolia,‖ said Greg Crowe, President and Chief Executive Officer. He added, ―In Mongolia, a
power-purchase agreement between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Inner Mongolia Power Corporation has
been completed and commencement of phase 1 commercial production at Oyu Tolgoi is expected in
the coming months.‖
For the three months ended 30 September, net loss decreased to USD 1.9 million compared to a net
loss of USD 3.5 million in the three months ended 30 September. During that same period, Entrée
Gold incurred lower operating expenditures, primarily from decreased exploration expenses on the
Ann Mason Project.
Source: Entrée Gold Inc.
GE'S GROWTH IN WIND REFLECTS CHANGING NATURE OF WORLD MARKETS
General Electric Co., the wind turbine supplier to Newcom Group Ltd.'s Salkhit wind farm, is
celebrating the installation of its 20,000 turbines.
Taken together, all the turbines it has installed could power Hong Kong and London for an entire
year. In 2012 alone, General Electric shipped 5,000 turbines—double that over the previous two
years. Next year, General Electric expects to install 3,000 turbines worldwide, reflecting the drop
in the world markets that is affecting the industry.
General Electric has been focused on driving down costs and increasing the reliability of its
turbines, and it surely benefits from the conglomerate's extensive manufacturing, sourcing, and
logistics network.
Although General Electric is making headway in India, thanks to some policy shifts that favors
bigger, more efficient projects that can produce lots of energy in low-wind situations, it could be
muscled out of Latin America by China. China is promoting its home-grown turbine manufacturers
there by offering government-backed loans to developers that carry interest rates as much as 50
percent less than local banks.
Source: Sustainable Business
ECONOMY
MONGOLIA GOVERNMENT MEETING INVESTORS FOR POSSIBLE DOLLAR BOND SALE
The government began meeting investors Thursday for the possible sale of a dollar bond, a person
with knowledge of the matter said.
The person did not give further details about the investor roadshow or potential deal, but Mongolia's
Central Bank chief, N. Zoljargal, had said early this month that the landlocked Asian country plans
to raise USD 1.5 billion by selling government bonds to finance the development of its
infrastructure.
The government has mandated Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, J.P. Morgan
and TDB Capital to arrange the investor meetings, the person said.
Source: Wall Street Journal
MINING MINISTRY AND CENTRAL BANK TEAM UP TO STABILIZE FUEL PRICES
The Ministry of Mining and Bank of Mongolia plan to cooperate to stabilize the price of petroleum
for the year.
Mining Minister D. Ganhuyag and Central Bank President N. Zoljargal signed a memorandum with the
director of the ministry's Petroleum Department, G. Uliziiburne, and other representatives of the
petroleum industry to maintain a constant price for fuels. Importers have agreed to sell their fuel at
a fixed currency rate established by the Bank of Mongolia. The Central Bank has in return agreed to
pay the difference in the event of a large discrepancy between the agreed upon and real current
exchange rate.
Source: Business Mongolia
DON'T BE SO HASTY TO THROW OUT INTERNATIONAL TAX AGREEMENTS, SAYS IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised the government to take a diplomatic approach in
its bid for new double taxation agreements.
The mining boom has forced policy makers to take another look at its taxation agreements with
foreign partners to ensure that Mongolia is getting its just income now that it has more leverage
than when the agreements were originally drafted. According to the IMF, some companies establish
offices in certain countries to lessen their tax burden. However, Mongolia should not be so quick to
simply renege on its past agreements.
―The current Mongolian DTA [double tax agreement] network is prone to international tax planning
as some DTAs contain favorable provisions allowing residents of other countries to substantially
reduce source taxation in Mongolia,‖ reads the report. ―For instance in some cases the Mongolian
withholding tax on dividends, interest, royalty, service fees, or lease payments is limited or even
prohibited. In other cases, capital gains on indirect transfers of mining licenses cannot be taxed in
Mongolia.‖
Instead of terminating it agreements, the IMF advocated an approach whereby Mongolia's double-
taxation network be selectively renegotiated or amended. The IMF said termination should only be
used as a last-case remedy if negotiations were unsuccessful.
―In the current situation, only a few DTAs can be considered potentially harmful as they
insufficiently protect the Mongolian tax base,‖ says the report. It adds, ―Most DTAs—although
slightly out of line with the proposed Mongolian DTA model—do not require immediate attention.‖
Source: News.mn
GROWING POWER USAGE WEIGHS HEAVILY ON AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
An energy official blamed Ulaanbaatar's outdated electrical infrastructure for the rash of power
outages experienced in the capital.
Ulaanbaatar experienced 33 power outages last week due to faulty cable lines, said S. Tumurkhuu,
chairman of the Ulaanbaatar Electrical Distribution Network. He added that accidents during
construction resulted in the cut of some cable lines and cold weather had also contributed to the
numerous power outages that had many Ulaanbaatar residents have complained about.
―When soil freezes, old cables are damaged because of the changes to the soil,‖ said Tumurkhuu.
The chairman said that its 50 electrical substations are overloaded and the company is working to
increase its capacity. Mongolia's electrical grid is growing increasingly more spread thin as usage
grows in Mongolia with the population. About 80 percent of all cable lines are over 20 years old, he
said, and only 10.9 percent of all cables have been replaced. Without the proper upgrades, these
issues are likely to only be more common.
―Electricity demands keep increasing. Currently, Ulaanbaatar thermal power plants cannot get rid
of the electrical cuts. We can only manage and repair the damage since the company does not have
the technical facility upgrades it needs.‖ Tumurkhuu added, ―We need to invest in the [energy]
sector and update the whole engineering system.
Source: News.mn
BPI RAISES THE BAR FOR QUALITY
The Ministry of Construction and Urban Development and the Ulaanbaatar city government plans to
work in coordination with USAID's Business Plus Initiative (BPI) to introduce reforms to reduce red
tape and corruption surrounding the attainment of construction permits.
The reforms would result in expanded and enhanced construction in Mongolia with improved quality
and safety standards. Reforms would cut by 80 percent the signatures needed for permission from
128 to 25 officials and a new division of project types. The ministry plans to introduce the three
categories for construction projects by size and establish a transparent set of standards for each.
The proposed reforms would require permission granted from the ministry for large projects such as
the construction of airports and bridges while municipalities would hold authority over medium-
sized and small projects. BPI has also proposed they set up a one-stop center for construction
permits to cut down on time and the number of procedures to attain permits. BPI also promises
these reforms would establish consistent standards of quality that would enable more effective
review of construction plans and inspection.
BPI held a video conference to demonstrate the world's best practices and regulation techniques
last month. Twenty-five high ranking construction ministry and city officials gathered to learn of
the progress made in Georgia's regulatory framework for construction. The working group for
construction is now looking to integrate these practices into Mongolia's own framework with the
continued assistance of BPI.
Source: Business Plus Initiative
ERDENET TO RECEIVE WORLD-CLASS STADIUM
The Mongolian Federal of Light Athletics plans to lead the construction of a new runway stadium in
Erdenet Soum.
Construction will be contracted to Mondo with support from Orkhon Aimag's Department of Sports
and the Governor Administration Department for specifications such as the asphalt and drainage.
The government plans to ensure that the stadium meets global standards.
The MNT 600 million needed to finance the project will come from the state budget. Construction is
planned for completion by July 2013.
Source: Udriin Sonin
12 STUDENTS WIN MNT 48 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS
The Ministry of Education and Science awarded MNT 48 million worth of scholarships to students
who won an essay competition.
The ministry presented the scholarship to the writers of the best papers at the 12th "Khural Togoot"
annual young scholar's conference. Education Minister L. Gantumur said the government would
continue to support its young scholars, who will likely lead the development of science in Mongolia.
This year saw 12 winners compared with 10 last year and the scholarship prize grew to MNT 4
million from MNT 2 million. The conference had six divisions: technology; natural sciences;
geography and geology: biology and agriculture; social sciences; and health sciences.
Source: Unuudur
POOR HARVESTING SPOILS FLOUR PRODUCTION FOLLOWING LARGEST-EVER HARVEST
Flour producers have reported deteriorating quality of flour due to poor harvesting.
Although fair weather conditions resulted in Mongolia's biggest crop harvests yet, the weather
conditions may have also contributed to poor quality wheat for flour production. According to Ch.
Ayushjav, chief marketing officer at Altan Taria Co., the poorly harvested goods will have to be
supplemented with more recent crops.
"Our factory has produced flour with a new crop of wheat from 20 October. This year the wheat had
not matured because of frost at the end of August and beginning of September. Moreover, the
product became less soft because of rain when the crops were maturing."
Ayushjav said his company could produce better quality flour by mixing surplus from the last batch
with the newer crop if the Ministry of Industry and Agriculture allows.
Source: Unuudur
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT PLANS TO CONVERT TOURIST STREET INTO PARKING LOT
The Chingeltei District governor has announced plans to construct a paid parking lot at Juulchin (tr:
tourist) Street.
The parking lot would hold between 100 and 150 cars and four entrance points, said the governor. A
request was sent on 15 November to the Ulaanbaatar Properties Department for permission and to
send notices to street vendors to vacate the area.
The plan includes mandates that all statues be left intact. Development of the lot would include
the construction of fences to surround the area, painted markers, and signs.
Source: Unuudur
MNMA LOOKS FOR INVESTMENT INTO MINING SECTOR FROM KOREA
The president of the Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA) met with a Korean trade
researcher to share ideas on greater cooperation between Mongolia and Korea's mining sector.
MNMA President D. Damba discussed opportunities for investment with the Korean International
Economy Policy Institute's head of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. He also
met with directors of Chinese mining firms and service providers that could help lead the
development of Mongolia's mining sector.
Source: Mongolian National Mining Association
BPI LEADS TRAININGS TO GET COMPANIES TO MEET ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
USAID's Business Plus Initiative (BPI) held training sessions to help companies meet Mongolia's
increasingly more stringent environmental regulations.
Fears about how development is affecting Mongolia's fragile environment has given cause for private
businesses to take responsibility in ensuring appropriate protection of the environment. Thirty one
business people from Ulaanbaatar received training from BPI, with 85 percent of trainees reaching
successful completion. Those who passed the training course and examinations received certificates
for their achievements.
―We need to train new environmental auditors to create Mongolian professionals with qualifications
and certifications,‖ said SBS LLC Project Manager and trainee B. Nomin-Erdene. She added, ―Before
the training our company lacked the capacity to follow audit regulations, and many other
companies also sought to have similar trainings.‖
New laws have mandated that companies using Mongolia's natural resources must submit to an
environmental audit every two years. BPI will support additional trainings to build a cadre of quality
assurance auditing and management professionals in Mongolia.
Source: Business Plus Initiative
MINING BONANZA
Chinggis Khaan might be rolling in his grave, wherever he is. The all-conquering Mongol, laid to rest
in a secret location, would almost certainly disapprove of the foreigners coming to plunder his once
mighty domain. And with all the mining activity in Mongolia, you really want to hope he does not
get dug up in the frenzy.
Mongolia is the big new frontier for Australian giants such as miner Rio Tinto PLC and developer
Leighton Asia Ltd. Leighton Asia is operating a large joint-venture coal mine in the Gobi Desert
while Rio Tinto is about to open one of the biggest copper mines on the planet. It will soon account
for more than 30 percent of the country's entire gross domestic product (GDP).
―Some of the optimistic geologists we have say that this business could run for up to 100 years.
Those more conservatively say 50 years plus,‖ said Cameron McRae, president and chief executive
officer of Oyu Tolgoi LLC.
The Rio Tinto deal means the company keeps a large controlling stake in the operation and cedes
the Mongolian government a 34 percent stake. That has provoked widespread controversy and a
degree of resentment among locals who are worried about where the benefits of Mongolia's
resource wealth will go. There is concern the government is ill-equipped to strike complex and
sophisticated mining deals in the national interest.
―People have different views on the deal,‖ said Dorshteri, a member of the Responsible Mining
Initiative. ―My feeling is Mongolia made a political decision. After all, the deal is a financial
transaction and whether it's beneficial to Mongolia, I have many doubts about.‖
And it is not only the deals that are sounding alarm bells. Environmentalists worry the mining push
has come so fast and aggressively that proper checks and balances are not in place. The other big
question is how will the spread of mining and its use of scarce natural resources such as water
impact the range of proud Mongolian nomadic herders.
Source: ABC
WATER GONE TO WASTE
Research will begin for the introduction of a water system to Ulaanbaatar's ger district due to gross
misuse of water, said an official from the Water and Sanitation Recovery Committee (WSRC).
Research shows that water waste is high in Mongolia, with between 60 and 80 percent of water loss
caused by certain entities, said B. Dorjbat, a specialist at the WSRC. Water loss is either
categorized as physical loss, often due to leakage from technical problems or poor piping, or
through commercial loss, such as when water meters are illegally fixed to provide inaccurate
readings.
The total amount of water loss from 30 water distributors in Ulaanbaatar is 14.8 million cubic
meters," said Dorjbat. "That is enough to provide drinking water for 96 days to Ulaanbaatar
residents."
To be sure that it is only a few companies responsible for the most loss, he added that the loss from
just 20 companies amounts to just 4.3 million cubic meters. He also noted that Zavkhan Aimag is
responsible for the most loss in the country.
At the ger districts in Ulaanbaatar water is sold for just MNT 1 per liter compared with costs of up
to MNT 6 for pumping water. Apartment dwellers pay MNT 0.32 a liter.
A cubic meter of water costs MNT 325 in Mongolia compared with MNT 851 in China, MNT 1,082 in
Russia, and MNT 985 in South Korea. A household of four living in the ger district is likely to
consumer 1,200 liters of water for MNT 1,200, roughly the same price as a loaf of bread. With water
so cheap people pay little mind to its conservation, said Dorjbat.
Source: Udriin Sonin
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE UNDER DEBATE
Geographers from the University of Leicester are involved in research on pastoralism, environment
and livelihoods at a critical juncture in decision making over the future of Mongolia's rural areas.
The two-year study, Community, Place and Pastoralism: Nature and Society in Post-Soviet Central
Asia, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and involving work in both Mongolia and Kazakhstan, led to a
meeting in Ulaanbaatar in September 2012, organized by the University of Leicester team and their
Mongolian colleagues. At this meeting herders were able to discuss key land and livelihood issues
directly with ministers, donor and government advisors.
―Mongolian herders are facing multiple pressures on their livelihoods, traditionally based on
nomadic pastoralism, from climate change, mining, desertification and new policies on land.
Through our project, national decision makers were brought together with affected parties and
local stakeholders to debate some of the vital issues pertaining to nomadic culture, livelihoods and
identity in modern Mongolia.‖
In recent years Mongolian herders have been encouraged through government policy and donor
interventions to form herder groups. These groups are designed to collaborate in pasture
management, labor sharing and environmental conservation, as well as marketing of their livestock
products, thus improving local livelihood and resilience.
A long-debated pastureland law, to be considered by the government in the next session of
Parliament, seeks to strengthen rights to key seasonal pastures for families and herders groups.
Although this law focuses on possession rather than ownership rights, for some herders it has raised
fears over the ultimate privatization of pastureland and reduction in the ability to move,
particularly in times of need. Government policy is also promoting intensification of livestock
production, bringing tensions between mobile and more sedentary livestock production and raising
questions about identity in modern Mongolia.
The Leveler team is finalizing detailed reports and articles to share with herders, international
donors, and government policy makers, as part of their contribution to these vital, ongoing debates.
Results of the work have also been presented at this year's Royal Geographical Society.
Source: Science Daily
HOLIDAY DONATIONS
The Friends of Mongolia aid group, a U.S. based non-profit organization founded in the state of New
York in 1999 by a group of volunteers from the seventh training group of Peace Corps Mongolia
volunteers, will be collecting donations to benefit Mongolia's needy children in Choibalsan Soum this
holiday season.
―The period between Canadian Thanksgiving in October through American Thanksgiving this week
and the holidays at the end of December seems like a good time to consider opportunities to help
Mongolia's poorest children,‖ said Steve Saunders, president of the North American Mongolian
Business Council (NAMBC).
Friends of Mongolia collects donations of clothes, books and toys each year to ship to the Anna
Home: All for Children non-governmental organization in Choibalsan, Dornogobi Aimag. Dornod has
a history of high levels of poverty, alcoholism, and deaths due to preventable and treatable
diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza.
Source: NAMBC
INVESTORS MAKE SWIFT GRAB FOR GOLD
Gold, a strong export commodity for Mongolia, is back from the wilderness. There were moments
during the summer, as prices lurched down toward USD 1,500 a troy ounce, when investors began to
question whether the decade-long bull market in the precious metal had ended.
But since traders first began to anticipate the U.S. Federal Reserve's move to launch a fresh
program of ―quantitative easing‖ in mid-August, gold has barely paused for breath. Its price has
jumped 12.5 percent, last Friday touching the highest level in nearly a year of USD 1,795 a troy
ounce. Measured in euros or Swiss francs, gold has this week hit all-time highs.
―The swing is just remarkable in terms of sentiment,‖ said Philip Klapwijk, head of metals analytics
at Thomson Reuters GFMS.
Bill Gross of Pimco, the world's largest bond fund manager, this week warned that if the United
States failed to put its finances on a sustainable footing ―bonds would be burnt to a crisp and stocks
would certainly be singed.‖ He concluded: ―Only gold and real assets would thrive.‖
George Soros and John Paulson added to their gold holdings in the second quarter and bankers say
that large hedge funds have continued their gold buying spree in recent months. Also, investors
have lifted their gold holdings via exchange traded funds by 158 tons since the start of August to a
record level.
Read more…
But some traders are beginning to feel nervous, pointing to weak physical markets. Demand from
India and China, the two largest physical markets, remains unspectacular, even if it has bounced
back in the past fortnight as the rupee strengthened, making bullion more affordable. Moreover,
the rally appears to have stalled just below USD 1,800—a level that has proved a stubborn barrier
for several other rallies in the past year.
Yet, with the United States at risk of going over a ―fiscal cliff‖, the prospect of another round of
global ―currency wars,‖ and the possibility of further expansion of central bank balance sheets
leading to higher inflation expectations, it is difficult to find anyone who is bearish on gold.
Source: Financial Times
POLITICS
DP CLAIMS VICTORY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS
The Democratic Party (DP) has claimed victory in the local elections held on Wednesday.
Prime Minister N. Altankhuyag announced that according to data collected, the DP won 13 or 14 of
Mongolia‘s 21 provinces.
"This is the first time that the DP has won in Uvs, Tuv, Hovd, and Bulgan Aimags, and also they have
a clean lead in nine districts, except for Bagakhangai district, in Ulaanbaatar city."
Source: News.mn
GOVERNMENT AND MONGOL BANK TARGET STABLE FOOD PRICES
The government has made an agreement with the Bank of Mongolia to introduce a program to
stabilize food prices.
The program is one of four where the government is trying to introduce price controls. The program
will focus on maintaining consistent prices for meat, flour, rice, vegetables, and other food staples.
Source: Zuunii Medee
ACADEMICS SUBMIT MINE CLOSURE BILL
Members of the teach staff at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) have
developed a bill that would regulate the closure of mines.
"At this time when the mining sector has changed, it is improper to follow the formal procedures,"
said M. Dagva, a professor at MUST. "We need a new regulation that covers a broader scale and
meets current requirements."
The legislation aims to regulate issues such as ensuring the safety of where mines have been closed
and where activities continue, ways for using infrastructure for the future, and minimizing the
impacts from the closure of mines. The legislation would also help clarify the regulations that must
be followed when closing a mine.
The bill would have to be considered after the draft Minerals Law is finished with its preparations
by the president and passed by Parliament.
Source: Centerra Gold Inc., Zuunii Medee
NEW TAX ON PROPERTY USED FOR BUSINESS BEGINS 2013
New property taxes for Ulaanbaatar will begin taking effect on 1 January next year.
Property taxes will vary between 0.6 and 1 percent depending on its use and location, said
Ulaanbaatar Deputy Mayor N. Bataa. Taxes will be due quarterly for businesses while individuals will
be responsible for annual payments. Only property used for business will be subject to the new
taxation, while residential properties are exempt.
In 2001 Parliament passed its first property tax of 0.6 percent on all properties used for business.
The current tax was passed in 2010, but will not take effect until the start of 2013.
The City of Ulaanbaatar is seeking ways to raise capital to finance the budget of coming years. City
authorities estimate that the tax will generate MNT 3.8 billion in revenue to the city government,
with current annual revenue at some MNT 390 billion.
Source: News.mn
MONGOLIA ASCENDS IN OSCE MEMBERSHIP
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has elevated Mongolia's position to
a member nation.
Mongolia becomes OSCE''s 57th participating state, said a statement from the transnational
organization. The decision to welcome Mongolia into the organization was taken by consensus.
―Mongolia has been a long-standing Asian partner for cooperation of the OSCE,‖ Deputy Prime
Minister Eamon Gilmore said. ―The OSCE is addressing the many transnational security challenges
we face across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian region and Mongolia's desire to join fully in our efforts
underlines the importance of our organization's work.‖
Mongolia will formally take its position at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Dubai on 6 December. The
event will signal a deepened partnership, said Gilmore. Mongolia has been a partner member of the
OSCE since 2004.
Source: Trend
JAPAN, N. KOREA BEGIN NEW ROUND OF TALKS IN MONGOLIA
Japan and North Korea held talks last week in Mongolia that Tokyo hopes will shed light on decades-
old abductions.
Japan wanted information on the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents in the
1970s and '80s. Japan believes at least one abducted citizen may still be alive in the north, though
North Korea denies this. Five abductees were returned to Japan in 2002.
Japan and North Korea do not have formal diplomatic relations. The abduction issues and concerns
over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs have long strained ties. Japanese officials indicated
before the start of the talks that they expected them to be tough and not likely to lead to any
immediate breakthroughs. North Korea's official media proved few details, reporting only that they
were intended to deal with issues of mutual interest.
Japan has imposed strict sanctions against North Korea and cut off most economic and cultural
exchanges in 2006 after a missile launch. Tensions heightened again earlier this year when the
North launched a rocket saying it carried a satellite, but that Japan and other countries criticized
as a thinly disguised test of long-range missile technology. The launch failed just after takeoff.
Source: Washington Post
MONGOLIA, N. KOREA PLEDGE TO BOOST COOPERATION
Mongolian and North Korean officials pledged for bilateral cooperation in various fields during the
recent visit by North Korean officials.
The two countries have been sharing traditional friendship since the establishment of diplomatic
relations in 1948, Z. Enkhbold, Parliament Speaker said during his meeting with Choe Tae-bok,
Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly.
―I want to say that Mongolia is ready to cooperate with the new leader of the DPRK and continue
the traditional friendly relationship,‖ Enkhbold said.
He said he hoped the two countries can cooperate in trade, information technology, exchange of
workforce and lease of ocean ports as Mongolia is a landlocked country. Enkhbold noted Choe's visit
to Mongolia is very important in enhancing cooperation between their two respective legislative
bodies. The speaker also said the Mongolian government is currently making efforts to promote
economic development and raise the international competitiveness of Mongolia's economy. One
example he gave was the construction of an industrial park to help Mongolia reduce its dependency
on mining.
Choe, for his part, said, ―...our two countries are closely working together at international levels,
especially under the U.N. framework. This relationship is contributing to friendly and stable
development of Northeast Asia.‖
Source: Xinhuanet
PRESIDENT EXTENDS INVITATION TO N. KOREA'S KIM JONG-UN
President Ts. Elbegdorj said Mongolia would welcome a visit by North Korea's supreme leader, Kim
Jong-un, during a meeting with a top official.
Elbegdorj met with the Chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Tae-bok during
his recent visit to have talks with Japanese officials. The president said he hoped the visit would
bring stronger relations between their respective nations. During their talks Elbegdorj invited North
Korea's leader to visit Mongolia.
―First, most important is the high-level mutual visits. Thereby, we are ready to welcome the
supreme leader to our country,‖ said Elbegdorj.
The president also discussed the need for economic cooperation for the exploitation of natural
resources and to build infrastructure. They also discussed the possibility of cooperating for sea
transport of Mongolian exports through North Korea's ports.
The president also noted an official discussion he had with Kim Yong-nam, Presidium of the
Supreme People's Assembly, where they discussed matters of aid for food to North Korea. He added
that Mongolia could be used as a setting for peace talks in the future, saying that Mongolia was
prepared to host six such official meetings in Ulaanbaatar.
―For the purpose of fostering peace in Asia, as well as expanding cooperation within the countries
in the East Asian region, Mongolia holds the position of using peaceful dialogues as a mean to
handles issues on the Korean Peninsula,‖ he said.
Source: Info Mongolia
AUSTRALIAN MINISTER RAISES LAWYER'S DETENTION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he's raised the case of an Australian lawyer prevented from leaving
Mongolia with the foreign minister.
Authorities stopped Sarah Armstrong at Ulaanbaatar airport from leaving in mid-October because
authorities wanted to question her over corruption allegations. The 32-year old is a lawyer for Rio
Tinto PLC‘s mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources Ltd. Carr said the government has flagged its
concern over Armstrong's month-long detention and he hopes she will be allowed to leave Mongolia
soon.
―She's been interviewed as part of these corruption investigations, she's had daily contact from our
consulate general, David Lawson,‖ he said. ―We're taking a keen interest in her case. I raised it with
the foreign minister of Mongolia, who I met in Bali last week, and I asked him if he'd take an
interest in it.‖
If Armstrong were to seek more consular assistance the government was ready to give it, but it was
limited in what help it could offer, Carr added.
―We can offer consular assistance in these cases. We can't, however, have the government fight the
case for an Australian overseas in a foreign judicial system,‖ he said.
Source: Sky News
QATAR'S AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
Qatari Ambassador to China Hamad bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa presented his diplomatic credentials to
Mongolia this week.
The ambassador submitted his credentials as a non-resident ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of Qatar to Mongolia. The official act came during a meeting between the
ambassador and the Mongolian foreign ministry's protocols department director. He wished the
Qatari official success in his mission to contribute to the development of relations between their
two countries.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
MONGOLIA, INDIA SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT
Mongolian and Indian military officials have agreed to cooperate on military programs in 2013.
Brigadier General D. Bayarsaikhan and Indian defense ministry official Smita Nagaraj signed a
memorandum promising to collaborate for information technology between each nation's defense
ministries.
The agreement also plans for next year's joint military training codenamed Nomadic Elephant,
which was first held in 2004 in Mongolia. They also planned for next year's Khaan Quest military
exercise.
Source: Info Mongolia
SOLDIER DIES OF HEALTH PROBLEMS WHILE SERVING IN SOUTH SUDAN
A Mongolian peacekeeper serving in South Sudan died of health problems last week.
First Sergeant G. Munkh-Erdene served in the first round battalion under the U.N. mandate to
support peacekeeping missions as a driver for the transport division. According to Deputy Chief of
Staff N. Bayarmagnai, Munkh-Erdene suffered from epilepsy and fell down while serving in Juba,
South Sudan. The soldier was sent to Cambodia for treatment but eventually died of a stroke early
the next morning. Autopsy results said he died of a heart attack.
―Every peacekeeper has free medical checks‖, said Bayarmagnai, explaining the screening process
soldiers receive before being sent abroad. ―G. Munkh-Erdene did not have any health problems
when he was sent to South Sudan.‖
Munkh-Erdene arrived in Mongolia via Turkish Airlines from Istanbul last Saturday and was buried in
the town he was born in, at his family's request. He served 12 years in the Mongolian Armed Forces
where he worked in the 123rd military unit in Hovd before being sent to South Sudan. He also
completed missions in Sierra-Leone in 2006 and 2009. He received two medals from the United
Nations and a ―For the Motherland‖ honorary medal.
Source: News.mn
ENKHBAYAR'S SON EXITS MPRP
E. Batshugar, son of incarcerated former President and leader of the Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party (MPRP) N. Enkhbayar, has withdrawn his membership from the party.
Some reports say the rising political figure stepped away from the party to step out of his father's
shadow. Many in government reportedly believe some political hopefuls hoped to use Batshugar's
family name as a political device. However, Batshugar said officially that he withdrew his party
membership because of his recent appointment as a vice president of the Bank of Mongolia.
―According to the law, it is not allowed for a member of state staff to be a member of a party,‖
said a statement. It added, ―There is no special reason behind this.‖
Source: News.mn
CALL FOR GOBI BEAR'S PROTECTION IN 2013
The Ministry of Environment and Green Development has designated 2013 as ―Year of Protecting the
Gobi Bear.‖
The ministry unveiled a series of protective measures, including the establishment of a nature
reserve to restore safe habitat for the rare wild species and the setup of a working group
immediately to explore ways of increasing their population. The Gobi bear is a subspecies of the
brown bear that is critically endangered in the Gobi Desert. A survey by environment officials and
wildlife experts on the bear's living conditions in their habitat has found that the numbers of the
animal had declined to the near-extinction of 22 heads.
The measures also include introduction of foreign expertise on wild animal protection and
reproduction, and the setup of a protection fund for the bear. Mongolian wildlife experts told local
media that environment degradation in the Gobi bear's habitat and the animal's long breading cycle
were the two major reasons for their population drop. The bear usually gives birth to one cub every
two years.
Mongolia has prohibited hunting of the Gobi bear since 1953.
Source: China Daily
MONGOLIA-TIBET TIES STILL STRONG, SAYS DALAI LAMA
The Dalai Lama acknowledged Mongolia as an important ally to the people of Tibet and a center for
Buddhist practices.
"When I first visited Mongolia in 1979, there was no religious freedom for Mongolians under the
communist rule, but I clearly realized at the time that people nurtured deep faith in Buddhism and
reverence for me," said that Dalai Lama during an ongoing discourse for Mongolian devotees in
Dharamsala, India. "We have met several times after Mongolians achieved freedom, and our
thousands-of-years-old historical bond continues to remain alive and strong."
The Dalai Lama launched a website in Mongolian language during his visit to Mongolia in 2011. It
offers visitors words about the Dalai Lama's teachings on Buddhism, environment, science, human
values, peace, and non-violence. He expressed hope that the website would be helpful to Mongolian
devotees.
"Technology has made tremendous progress, but it is being also used to create violence. In this new
century, we must use technology to promote love and compassion," he said.
Source: India Education Diary
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MONGOLIA INVESTMENT CONGRESS 2012, SHANGHAI, 10 December
Mongolian Investment Congress 2012 will be held in Shanghai, China on 10 December. The event is
presented by the Mongolian Stock Exchange and Mongolian National Mining Association, and INBC
Global.
From mining, export infrastructure, and power generation to financial services, energy projects,
property development and more, Mongolian Investment Congress 2012 offers investment and
development opportunities at every turn.
Highlights for topics of discussion include international investment opportunities in Mongolia,
challenges for foreign investors in the mining industry and the coal reserves and resources.
The Clean Coal Asia Summit 2012, Shanghai, 11-12 December
The event serves as the information and networking platform for commercializing clean coal
technologies in Asia and the world. Highlights for discussion include China's government policies in
the clear energy of China's 12th five-year plan (2011-2015) and innovation and new projects in coal
gasification and liquefaction.
___________________________________________
COAL MONGOLIA 2013, 21-22 FEBRUARY, SS CLUB
It is a great pleasure to announce that we are organizing the International Coal Investors
Conference and Exhibition ―COAL MONGOLIA-2013‖ on February 21-22, 2013, for the third time.
The International Conference and Exhibition ―Coal Mongolia‖ has become the biggest Conference in
Mongolia and it has been a great opportunity to explore the Mongolian coal industry. Mongolia‘s
total coal resource is 162.3 billion tons with 300 deposits and is one of the world‘s top 15 coal rich
countries. We had over 700 delegates from over 300 foreign and domestic companies, NGOs, and
Government officials in our last Conference.
BCM is supporting this event. BCM members will get special discount.
WHAT IS NEW THIS TIME
- New investment opportunities in coal exploration, production and processing projects in Mongolia
- the fastest growing economy in the world
- Partnerships – bringing Mongolian Coal Miners to the International Market
- Mongolian New Government Position, Investment policy and Environment
- Environmentally friendly, new and efficient technologies in Coal Industry
We invite you to participate in the conference and we hope that the conference theme will be the
source of knowledge and inspiration in your further activities. Please contact Oyun at
oyun@mining.mn or at 70115590.
www.coalmongolia.mn
___________________________________________
THIRD RISK FORUM, 27-28 FEBRUARY, BLUE SKY TOWER
BCM is hosting the third annual Risk Forum of Mongolia from 27 to 28 February at the Blue Sky
Tower.
The forum is co-organized by BCM and Mandal Insurance. It is the most focused and informative risk
management event in Mongolia. This year, the forum will feature excellent participation of key
stakeholders of risk management and aims to become the catapult of change in Risk Management
practice of Mongolia.
For more information call 11 317 027.
___________________________________________
REGISTER NOW FOR MONGOLIAN MINING DIRECTORY - 2013
Mongolian Mining Directory-2013 which provides information database for mining companies,
investors, suppliers, service companies, government and non government organizations will be
published for the fourth year to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Mongolian mining
industry. The MMD is distributed free of charge to international and domestic mining companies,
international conferences and exhibition, embassy offices in Mongolia and foreign countries to
investors.
BCM is a Supporting Organization of the MMD and welcomes Mongolian mining industry participants
who are interested in advertising their products and services in Mongolian Mining Directory-2013.
For more information please visit: www.mining.mn, www.mongolianminingdirectory.mn or call
+976-7011 5590.
___________________________________________
REGISTER FOR BCM‟S MINING SUPPLY CHAIN DATABASE AT NO COST
The new version of BCM‘s Mining Supply Chain Database is in use. Following the initiative of Oyu
Tolgoi LLC, the BCM has maintained the Mining Supply Chain Database since March 2009. It is an
honor to introduce you to the new version of the database which is totally upgraded as to its
content and use of information technology opportunities.
Approximately 1,400 entities are registered, of which about 95 percent are Mongolian-owned
suppliers. We are inviting all Mongolian mining suppliers and buyer companies to join the Mining
Supply Chain Database. Please visit here for registration.
If you have any questions regarding the database, please contact Undral at undral@bcmongolia.org
or 317027.
___________________________________________
“MM TODAY” on MNB-TV, Friday‟s at 18:50
BCM is pleased to announce that Mongolian National Broadcasting continues its cooperation with
BCM on ―MM Today‖. This English news program is aired every Friday for 10 minutes and is
scheduled from 18:50 to 19:00 tonight. Tune in to watch this program that reports stories from
today‘s BCM NewsWire.
BCM WEBSITES
MONGOLIAN WEBSITE „PRESENTATIONS‟ AND „NEWS‟ SECTIONS
The new ‗Presentations‘ section on BCM‘s Mongolian website can be reached via bcm.mn/itgeluud.
Several presentations already posted include the World Bank‘s Mongolia Quarterly Economic
Update–June 2012 and 11 speeches from the 2nd Coaltrans Forum, held on 23 to 24 May in
Ulaanbaatar.
As a key component of BCM‘s Mongolian website, articles from the ‗News‘ section and the
government website Open-Government.mn are regularly updated.
___________________________________________
ENGLISH WEBSITE: 'PRESENTATIONS', 'MONGOLIA REPORTS', „MONGOLIAN BUSINESS NEWS‟,
„PHOTO GALLERY‟
On BCM‘s English website, the ―Resources‖ and ―Presentations‖ sections are available. Just
uploaded are 25 presentations from the Mongolian Investment Summit 2012 on 30-31 October in
Hong Kong; recent postings from BCM‘s 5 November and 24 September monthly meetings; and 9
presentations from Discover Mongolia 2012.
The ―Mongolia Reports‖ section includes ―Mongolia Business Owner and CFO Survey‖ by BDSec JSC;
―The fiscal regime for mining - a way forward‖ by IMF Fiscal Affairs Department; ―Mongolia-a
supplement to Mining Journal‖ from Mining Journal October, 2012; ―Macro Overview‖ September,
2012 by EPCRC; ―Taxes for Expatriates in Mongolia‖ from PricewaterhouseCoopers; and the ―2012
Mongolia Investment Climate Statement‖ by the Economic and Commercial Section of the U.S.
Embassy.
BCM's English website includes the ―Mongolia Business News‖ section where the Open Letter to
Parliament and Government is available for download.
BCM continuously posts news stories and analysis of relevance to Mongolia at ‗Mongolian Business
News‖ before they are all put together each week for Friday's weekly NewsWire.
The ―Photo Gallery‖ contains photos from the 5th Anniversary BCM Gala dinner on November 5.
The BCM NewsWire will continue to be issued each Friday, incorporating items already on the home
page for a consolidated account of the week‘s events.
___________________________________________
SOCIAL NETWORK WITH BCM
The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) has expanded its reach to your favorite social networks.
Keep up to date on the latest business deals in Mongolia and how the climate for investment is
improving each day with BCM.
Connect with BCM on Linked-in to join the diverse group of professional contacts creating a better
business environment in Mongolia today.
Add BCM on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-BUSINESS-COUNCIL-OF-
MONGOLIA/129826330435540 to read the latest announcements and comment on events carried in
the NewsWire with the community.
Hear breaking news and announcements as they happen when you follow BCM on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/#!/bcMongolia.
BCM now has 725 fans on our Facebook fans page, 888 connections on LinkedIn network, and 500+
followers following us on Twitter.
Of course for news information, interviews, event photos, and announcements regarding our
organization, visit the official BCM website at www.bcmongolia.org and www.bcm.mn.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
INFLATION
Year 2006 6.0% [source: National Statistical Office of Mongolia (NSOM)]
Year 2007 *15.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2008 *22.1% [source: NSOM]
Year 2009 *4.2% [source: NSOM]
Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM]
Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM]
October 31, 2012 *15.0% [source: NSOM]
*Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide
Note: 15.0% y-o-y, Ulaanbaatar city, October 31, 2012
CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE
December 31, 2008 9.75% [source: IMF]
March 11, 2009 14.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2009 12.75% [source: IMF]
June 12, 2009 11.50% [source: IMF]
September 30, 2009 10.00% [source: IMF]
May 12, 2010 11.00% [source: IMF]
April 28, 2011 11.50% [source: IMF]
August 25, 2011 11.75% [source: IMF]
October 25, 2011 12.25% [source: IMF]
March 19, 2012 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank]
April 18, 2012 13.25% [source: Mongol bank]
CURRENCY RATES – NOVEMBER 22, 2012
Currency Name Currency Rate
US dollar USD 1,395.09
Euro EUR 1,792.34
Japanese yen JPY 17.15
British pound GBP 2,226.84
Hong Kong dollar HKD 179.86
Chinese Yuan CNY 223.96
Russian Ruble RUB 44.73
South Korean won KRW 1.28
Disclaimer: Except for reporting on BCM‘s activities, all information in the BCM NewsWire is
selected from various news sources. Opinions are those of the respective news sources.

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23.11.2012, NEWSWIRE, Issue 249

  • 1. BUSINESS COUNCIL of MONGOLIA NewsWire www.bcmongolia.org info@bcmongolia.org Issue 249 – November 23, 2012 NEWS HIGHLIGHTS: Business  Oyu Tolgoi tests copper concentrator;  SouthGobi to lay off 200 workers;  Russia considers opening Erdenet Mining to strategic partner;  Mongolian firm announces plans to open synthetic diesel plant in 2013;  Fitch affirms XacBank's “B” rating, outlook stable;  Development Bank appoints deputy director;  Erdenet Mining director holds onto top position;  Prophecy makes management appointments;  Government looks to name Khushuut coal mine as strategic deposit;  Chinggis Khan brand vows to bring spirituality to vodka;  BCM talks Mongolian investment climate at IFE;  Landslide claims three lives at Nalaikh mine;  Entrée releases Q3 interim results;  GE's growth in wind reflects changing nature of world markets. Economy  Mongolia government meeting investors for possible dollar bond sale;  Mining Ministry and Central Bank team up to stabilize fuel prices;  Don't be so hasty to throw out international tax agreements, says IMF;  Growing power usage weighs heavily on aging infrastructure;  BPI raises the bar for quality;  Erdenet to receive world-class stadium;  12 students win MNT 48 million in scholarships;  Poor harvesting spoils flour production following largest-ever harvest;  District government plans to convert Tourist Street into parking lot;  MNMA looks for investment into mining sector from Korea;  BPI leads trainings to get companies to meet environmental regulations;  Mining bonanza;  Water gone to waste;  Nomadic lifestyle under debate;  Holiday donations;  Investors make swift grab for gold. Politics  DP claims victory in local elections;  Government and Mongol Bank target stable food prices;  Academics submit mine closure bill;  New tax on property used for business begins 2013;  Mongolia ascends in OSCE membership;  Japan, N. Korea begin new round of talks in Mongolia;  Mongolia, N. Korea pledge to boost cooperation;  President extends invitation to N. Korea's Kim Jong-Un;  Australian minister raises lawyer's detention with foreign minister;
  • 2.  Qatar's ambassador presents credentials;  Mongolia, India sign military cooperation agreement;  Soldier dies of health problems while serving in South Sudan;  Enkhbayar's son exits MPRP;  Call for Gobi bear's protection in 2013;  Mongolia-Tibet ties still strong, says Dalai Lama. ECONOMIC INDICATORS  MSE Top 20 Index by market Capitalization;  Foreign-listed Companies with Mongolian Assets;  Inflation;  Central bank policy rate;  Currency rates. *Click on titles above to link to articles. SPONSORS Khan Bank Eznis Airways Kempinski Hotel Khan Palace Mongolian National Broadcasting Breakthrough PR Oxford Business Group BUSINESS OYU TOLGOI TESTS COPPER CONCENTRATOR Oyu Tolgoi LLC has begun testing of its copper concentrator plant now that electricity is being delivered to the copper and gold mine from China. Oyu Tolgoi will begin decommissioning its diesel generators with electricity from China now being delivered to site. According to L. Tsend of Energy International, the site will receive electricity from 220 kilowatt electrical lines already built and leading to the mining site. Electricity usage will grow from 12 megawatts to 100 megawatts once the plant is commissioned. For the next half month, the mining firm will test equipment at the plant. It expects tests will be complete and the plant will be in full operation by 1 December. The concentrator plant has the capacity to process 100,000 pounds a day and 35 million pounds a year. Company officials said they expected export to China would begin in the first half of next
  • 3. year. Source: Udriin Sonin SOUTHGOBI TO LAY OFF 200 WORKERS SouthGobi Sands LLC announced that it will have to let go more than 200 employees. Company employees have responded with an appeal to the Trade Union of Energy, Geology and Mining. Source: Zuunii Medee RUSSIA CONSIDERS OPENING ERDENET MINING TO STRATEGIC PARTNER Rostechnology has proposed that Russia sell some of its interest in its joint venture with the Mongolian government in Erdenet Mining Corp. Russia currently holds a 49 percent stake in the projects, with the Mongolian government holding the remaining majority stake. According to Rostechnology Director Sergei Chemezov, a strategic partner might bring more capital to invest into modernizing Erdenet Mining's facilities and extraction techniques. Analyst Oleg Pterpovalovski suggested a number of global players such as Rio Tinto PLC, which is currently leading the development of Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine, BHP Billiton Ltd., or Glencore International PLC. Source: Udriin Sonin MONGOLIAN FIRM ANNOUNCES PLANS TO OPEN SYNTHETIC DIESEL PLANT IN 2013 The director of a Mongolian industrial firm told media he could have a plant producing synthetic diesel from brown coal within a year. Ulziit Center LLC Director N. Dash-Ulzii said he hoped to take coal from the Baganuur brown coal deposit to produce synthetic diesel. He said the Ulziit Center had conducted a small-scale experiment over the past three years to test this idea, having found in its latest experiment that it is indeed possible. "As an engineer, I examined the possibilities of converting brown coal to diesel in Mongolia over the past 10 years. Mongolia depends on the import of diesel from abroad, but we have abundant resources of brown coal." The diesel produced at the Ulziit Center lab has been sent for further examination by another facility, said Dash-Ulzii. Scholars, experts, and government viewed a demonstration, he said, adding that he was confident in the results of the experiment. The Ulziit Center is now in discussion with the government for a medium-scale plant near the Baganuur mine. However, acquiring the necessary equipment, training, and supplies may be a challenge down the road. "Medium scale plants are rare in the world, so there is no ready-made machine or supplies. We can order supplies and machines that would fit our model from abroad and assemble them in Mongolia." The plant would be able to process some 8 million tons of coal for 2 million liters of fuel, said Dash- Ulzii. He said such a project could be completed within a year. Source: Udriin Sonin FITCH AFFIRMS XACBANK'S “B” RATING, OUTLOOK STABLE Fitch Ratings has affirmed XacBank LLC's long-term issuer default rating (IDR) at ―B‖ and its short- term IDR at ―B.‖ The Outlook is stable. The ratings capture XacBank's ongoing business model changes and the likely pressure this will bring on its asset quality, liquidity and capital. XacBank, a traditional microfinance institution, is increasing riskier small-medium enterprise (SME) lending, which will likely lead to higher loan concentration and impairment rates. In addition, it increased XacBank's vulnerability to change in the operating environment and the economy due to the nature of SME lending and the bank's limited expertise in the area. The bank continues to seek market funding, which in Fitch's view will accelerate the shift in its business model to SME lending and its funding structure to market funding as well as increase its
  • 4. funding costs. The bank had planned to issue up to USD 200 million in senior unsecured notes in March and September 2012 to ease tight liquidity and support further credit growth, but this was held back both times by difficult market conditions. A negative rating could come of relaxed underwriting standards to grow its SME book rapidly without bolstering capital and liquidity. Upgrade prospects are slim, given a limited scope for improvement in the bank's loss-absorbing ability due to further credit growth and pressure on profitability from higher funding and operating costs. Source: Fitch Ratings DEVELOPMENT BANK APPOINTS DEPUTY DIRECTOR The Development Bank's board of directors has appointed S. Sandagdorj as its new Deputy Director. Before his appointment at the bank, Sandagdorj worked as Deputy Director of Khadgalamj Bank LLC. The position has remained opened since last July when L. Bolormaa was dismissed from the post. Source: Zuunii Medee ERDENET MINING DIRECTOR HOLDS ONTO TOP POSITION The head of Erdenet Mining Corp. has reportedly retained his position amid numerous changes in the company's management. Parliament Speaker Z. Enkhbold met with Russian officials last week to discuss changes in management in the company. Before the meeting a rumor was reported by media that Director Ch. Ganzorig would be replaced, but another unnamed source has said government found no reason to do so. However, other top directors and vice directors were dismissed and replaced. Source: Udriin Sonin PROPHECY MAKES MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS Prophecy Coal Corp. has announced the appointments of D. Bailikhuu as country advisor, D. Damdinjav as a project manager, and K. Bekzod as business development manager. Bailikhuu has over 29 years of privatization and deregulation policy experience in Mongolia. He is currently advising the State Property Committee (SPC) on a range of issues including the development of a policy on the restructuring and privatization of state-owned enterprises in Mongolia, corporate governance, post-privatization restructuring of state-owned entities, and the development of a regulation policy relating to Mongolia's infrastructure sector. Damdinjav has 20 years of electrical engineering, power distribution, and generation experience in Mongolia. Before joining Prophecy Coal, Damdinjav was the deputy director of the energy department at Newcom Group, one of Mongolia's leading business groups, where he was responsible for technical supervision, technical proposal development and project management of the Salkhit wind farm and the Ulaanbaatar's Power Plant No. 5. Prior to that, Damdinjav worked as a consultant for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank's (ADB's) energy projects in Mongolia and at the Energy Authority and Central Energy System. Bekzod has worked at Ulaanbaatar-based Eurasia Capital and was responsible for providing advice on raising capital to international and local companies in Mongolia. He has served on the board of directors of several Mongolia-focused companies. Source: Prophecy Coal Corp. GOVERNMENT LOOKS TO NAME KHUSHUUT COAL MINE AS STRATEGIC DEPOSIT The government is targeting the nationalization of the Khushuut coal mine, which is currently licensed to Hong Kong-listed Mongolian Energy Corp. On a Saturday meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Mining D. Ganhuyag introduced a plan to include Khushuut on the list of Mongolia's strategic deposits, reported local media. Ganhuyag highlighted the fact that once the mine is operational, it would meet the requirements of a mine of strategic importance. Government ordered that Gankhuyag prepare the matter for discussion by Parliament.
  • 5. Source: BDSec JSC CHINGGIS KHAN BRAND VOWS TO BRING SPIRITUALITY TO VODKA APU is set to launch a new high-end vodka brand from Mongolia into global travel retail in 2013. Chinggis Khan Vodka is made with wheat grown on the Mongolian steppes, distilled six times with pure alpha grain spirit, then filtered for over 500 hours through charcoal, quartz, diamonds, black pearls, and silver, the company said. The vodka is finished with spring water from an ancient well— melt water from the sacred Bogd Khan Mountains' snow. Chinggis Khan Vodka was presented at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes last month, with the ―primary objective to raise interest in Mongolian vodka ahead of our 2013 launch,‖ said International Sales and Marketing Director Jett Yang. ―We were very encouraged by the trade's reception to our unique product story and quality credentials,‖ he continued. ―Most visitors had never heard of or experienced Mongolian vodka before meeting us, so we were very excited to get our story to a wide audience. We will be the new news in vodka in 2013.‖ Chinggis Khan Vodka will make its debut in global travel retail in 2013. The guide retail price is described as 20 percent more than its rival Grey Goose, reflecting the high-end luxury positioning. Source: Moodie Report BCM TALKS MONGOLIAN INVESTMENT CLIMATE AT IFE The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) gave a presentation on investing in Mongolia at the Institute of Finance and Economics (IFE) on 20 November. Jim Dwyer delivered a presentation entitled ―Business Investment Environment in Mongolia‖ to an audience of more than 80 graduate students. Dwyer ended his speech nothing Mongolia's greatest assets are its human resources rather than the natural resources under the earth. BCM has been pushing forward its ‗BCM in the Classroom‘ series since March 2012. Led by BCM's Education Working Group, the program provides lectures at universities to help inspire students and give them direction for their future careers. The next ‗BCM in the Classroom‘ series event will be held on 30 November at the IFE with speaker D. Achit-Erdene, president of Mongolian International Capital Corporation (MICC). Source: BCM LANDSLIDE CLAIMS THREE LIVES AT NALAIKH MINE Three people died in a recent mining accident in Nalaikh Soum last week. The deaths of the three individuals aged 50, 30, and 23 occurred as a result of a landslide at a private micro mine. Although a rescue team of 150 personnel arrived to try to save them, they could not reach the people, who were reportedly buried 60 meters underground. The incident is currently under police investigation. Source: Udriin Sonin ENTRÉE RELEASES Q3 INTERIM RESULTS Entrée Gold Inc. filed its interim operational and financial results for the quarter ended 30 September. Development of the Oyu Tolgoi mining complex continues at a rapid pace, with Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. announcing on 5 November the power purchase agreement with Inner Mongolia Power Corp. Phase one construction is essentially complete and the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold project is now on the verge of commercial production. Exploration of various targets continues on the Entree-Oyu Tolgoi joint venture ground. One diamond drill is currently operating north of the Hugo North extension deposit along the Oyu Tolgoi copper belt. Entrée Gold has identified two gold zones, Zone II and the Argo Zone, on its licensed area. Trenching in 2012 has confirmed and expanded the mineralization discovered last year by reverse circulation drilling, returning up to 81.4 grams per ton of gold over three meters within a broader mineralized zone approximately 400 meters long by 130 meters wide.
  • 6. ―During the most recently completed quarter, we focused on preparing a preliminary economic assessment for our Ann Mason deposit in Nevada and completing our Shivee West work program in Mongolia,‖ said Greg Crowe, President and Chief Executive Officer. He added, ―In Mongolia, a power-purchase agreement between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Inner Mongolia Power Corporation has been completed and commencement of phase 1 commercial production at Oyu Tolgoi is expected in the coming months.‖ For the three months ended 30 September, net loss decreased to USD 1.9 million compared to a net loss of USD 3.5 million in the three months ended 30 September. During that same period, Entrée Gold incurred lower operating expenditures, primarily from decreased exploration expenses on the Ann Mason Project. Source: Entrée Gold Inc. GE'S GROWTH IN WIND REFLECTS CHANGING NATURE OF WORLD MARKETS General Electric Co., the wind turbine supplier to Newcom Group Ltd.'s Salkhit wind farm, is celebrating the installation of its 20,000 turbines. Taken together, all the turbines it has installed could power Hong Kong and London for an entire year. In 2012 alone, General Electric shipped 5,000 turbines—double that over the previous two years. Next year, General Electric expects to install 3,000 turbines worldwide, reflecting the drop in the world markets that is affecting the industry. General Electric has been focused on driving down costs and increasing the reliability of its turbines, and it surely benefits from the conglomerate's extensive manufacturing, sourcing, and logistics network. Although General Electric is making headway in India, thanks to some policy shifts that favors bigger, more efficient projects that can produce lots of energy in low-wind situations, it could be muscled out of Latin America by China. China is promoting its home-grown turbine manufacturers there by offering government-backed loans to developers that carry interest rates as much as 50 percent less than local banks. Source: Sustainable Business ECONOMY MONGOLIA GOVERNMENT MEETING INVESTORS FOR POSSIBLE DOLLAR BOND SALE The government began meeting investors Thursday for the possible sale of a dollar bond, a person with knowledge of the matter said. The person did not give further details about the investor roadshow or potential deal, but Mongolia's Central Bank chief, N. Zoljargal, had said early this month that the landlocked Asian country plans to raise USD 1.5 billion by selling government bonds to finance the development of its infrastructure. The government has mandated Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, J.P. Morgan and TDB Capital to arrange the investor meetings, the person said. Source: Wall Street Journal MINING MINISTRY AND CENTRAL BANK TEAM UP TO STABILIZE FUEL PRICES The Ministry of Mining and Bank of Mongolia plan to cooperate to stabilize the price of petroleum for the year. Mining Minister D. Ganhuyag and Central Bank President N. Zoljargal signed a memorandum with the director of the ministry's Petroleum Department, G. Uliziiburne, and other representatives of the petroleum industry to maintain a constant price for fuels. Importers have agreed to sell their fuel at a fixed currency rate established by the Bank of Mongolia. The Central Bank has in return agreed to pay the difference in the event of a large discrepancy between the agreed upon and real current exchange rate. Source: Business Mongolia
  • 7. DON'T BE SO HASTY TO THROW OUT INTERNATIONAL TAX AGREEMENTS, SAYS IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised the government to take a diplomatic approach in its bid for new double taxation agreements. The mining boom has forced policy makers to take another look at its taxation agreements with foreign partners to ensure that Mongolia is getting its just income now that it has more leverage than when the agreements were originally drafted. According to the IMF, some companies establish offices in certain countries to lessen their tax burden. However, Mongolia should not be so quick to simply renege on its past agreements. ―The current Mongolian DTA [double tax agreement] network is prone to international tax planning as some DTAs contain favorable provisions allowing residents of other countries to substantially reduce source taxation in Mongolia,‖ reads the report. ―For instance in some cases the Mongolian withholding tax on dividends, interest, royalty, service fees, or lease payments is limited or even prohibited. In other cases, capital gains on indirect transfers of mining licenses cannot be taxed in Mongolia.‖ Instead of terminating it agreements, the IMF advocated an approach whereby Mongolia's double- taxation network be selectively renegotiated or amended. The IMF said termination should only be used as a last-case remedy if negotiations were unsuccessful. ―In the current situation, only a few DTAs can be considered potentially harmful as they insufficiently protect the Mongolian tax base,‖ says the report. It adds, ―Most DTAs—although slightly out of line with the proposed Mongolian DTA model—do not require immediate attention.‖ Source: News.mn GROWING POWER USAGE WEIGHS HEAVILY ON AGING INFRASTRUCTURE An energy official blamed Ulaanbaatar's outdated electrical infrastructure for the rash of power outages experienced in the capital. Ulaanbaatar experienced 33 power outages last week due to faulty cable lines, said S. Tumurkhuu, chairman of the Ulaanbaatar Electrical Distribution Network. He added that accidents during construction resulted in the cut of some cable lines and cold weather had also contributed to the numerous power outages that had many Ulaanbaatar residents have complained about. ―When soil freezes, old cables are damaged because of the changes to the soil,‖ said Tumurkhuu. The chairman said that its 50 electrical substations are overloaded and the company is working to increase its capacity. Mongolia's electrical grid is growing increasingly more spread thin as usage grows in Mongolia with the population. About 80 percent of all cable lines are over 20 years old, he said, and only 10.9 percent of all cables have been replaced. Without the proper upgrades, these issues are likely to only be more common. ―Electricity demands keep increasing. Currently, Ulaanbaatar thermal power plants cannot get rid of the electrical cuts. We can only manage and repair the damage since the company does not have the technical facility upgrades it needs.‖ Tumurkhuu added, ―We need to invest in the [energy] sector and update the whole engineering system. Source: News.mn BPI RAISES THE BAR FOR QUALITY The Ministry of Construction and Urban Development and the Ulaanbaatar city government plans to work in coordination with USAID's Business Plus Initiative (BPI) to introduce reforms to reduce red tape and corruption surrounding the attainment of construction permits. The reforms would result in expanded and enhanced construction in Mongolia with improved quality and safety standards. Reforms would cut by 80 percent the signatures needed for permission from 128 to 25 officials and a new division of project types. The ministry plans to introduce the three categories for construction projects by size and establish a transparent set of standards for each. The proposed reforms would require permission granted from the ministry for large projects such as the construction of airports and bridges while municipalities would hold authority over medium- sized and small projects. BPI has also proposed they set up a one-stop center for construction permits to cut down on time and the number of procedures to attain permits. BPI also promises
  • 8. these reforms would establish consistent standards of quality that would enable more effective review of construction plans and inspection. BPI held a video conference to demonstrate the world's best practices and regulation techniques last month. Twenty-five high ranking construction ministry and city officials gathered to learn of the progress made in Georgia's regulatory framework for construction. The working group for construction is now looking to integrate these practices into Mongolia's own framework with the continued assistance of BPI. Source: Business Plus Initiative ERDENET TO RECEIVE WORLD-CLASS STADIUM The Mongolian Federal of Light Athletics plans to lead the construction of a new runway stadium in Erdenet Soum. Construction will be contracted to Mondo with support from Orkhon Aimag's Department of Sports and the Governor Administration Department for specifications such as the asphalt and drainage. The government plans to ensure that the stadium meets global standards. The MNT 600 million needed to finance the project will come from the state budget. Construction is planned for completion by July 2013. Source: Udriin Sonin 12 STUDENTS WIN MNT 48 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS The Ministry of Education and Science awarded MNT 48 million worth of scholarships to students who won an essay competition. The ministry presented the scholarship to the writers of the best papers at the 12th "Khural Togoot" annual young scholar's conference. Education Minister L. Gantumur said the government would continue to support its young scholars, who will likely lead the development of science in Mongolia. This year saw 12 winners compared with 10 last year and the scholarship prize grew to MNT 4 million from MNT 2 million. The conference had six divisions: technology; natural sciences; geography and geology: biology and agriculture; social sciences; and health sciences. Source: Unuudur POOR HARVESTING SPOILS FLOUR PRODUCTION FOLLOWING LARGEST-EVER HARVEST Flour producers have reported deteriorating quality of flour due to poor harvesting. Although fair weather conditions resulted in Mongolia's biggest crop harvests yet, the weather conditions may have also contributed to poor quality wheat for flour production. According to Ch. Ayushjav, chief marketing officer at Altan Taria Co., the poorly harvested goods will have to be supplemented with more recent crops. "Our factory has produced flour with a new crop of wheat from 20 October. This year the wheat had not matured because of frost at the end of August and beginning of September. Moreover, the product became less soft because of rain when the crops were maturing." Ayushjav said his company could produce better quality flour by mixing surplus from the last batch with the newer crop if the Ministry of Industry and Agriculture allows. Source: Unuudur DISTRICT GOVERNMENT PLANS TO CONVERT TOURIST STREET INTO PARKING LOT The Chingeltei District governor has announced plans to construct a paid parking lot at Juulchin (tr: tourist) Street. The parking lot would hold between 100 and 150 cars and four entrance points, said the governor. A request was sent on 15 November to the Ulaanbaatar Properties Department for permission and to send notices to street vendors to vacate the area. The plan includes mandates that all statues be left intact. Development of the lot would include the construction of fences to surround the area, painted markers, and signs. Source: Unuudur
  • 9. MNMA LOOKS FOR INVESTMENT INTO MINING SECTOR FROM KOREA The president of the Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA) met with a Korean trade researcher to share ideas on greater cooperation between Mongolia and Korea's mining sector. MNMA President D. Damba discussed opportunities for investment with the Korean International Economy Policy Institute's head of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. He also met with directors of Chinese mining firms and service providers that could help lead the development of Mongolia's mining sector. Source: Mongolian National Mining Association BPI LEADS TRAININGS TO GET COMPANIES TO MEET ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS USAID's Business Plus Initiative (BPI) held training sessions to help companies meet Mongolia's increasingly more stringent environmental regulations. Fears about how development is affecting Mongolia's fragile environment has given cause for private businesses to take responsibility in ensuring appropriate protection of the environment. Thirty one business people from Ulaanbaatar received training from BPI, with 85 percent of trainees reaching successful completion. Those who passed the training course and examinations received certificates for their achievements. ―We need to train new environmental auditors to create Mongolian professionals with qualifications and certifications,‖ said SBS LLC Project Manager and trainee B. Nomin-Erdene. She added, ―Before the training our company lacked the capacity to follow audit regulations, and many other companies also sought to have similar trainings.‖ New laws have mandated that companies using Mongolia's natural resources must submit to an environmental audit every two years. BPI will support additional trainings to build a cadre of quality assurance auditing and management professionals in Mongolia. Source: Business Plus Initiative MINING BONANZA Chinggis Khaan might be rolling in his grave, wherever he is. The all-conquering Mongol, laid to rest in a secret location, would almost certainly disapprove of the foreigners coming to plunder his once mighty domain. And with all the mining activity in Mongolia, you really want to hope he does not get dug up in the frenzy. Mongolia is the big new frontier for Australian giants such as miner Rio Tinto PLC and developer Leighton Asia Ltd. Leighton Asia is operating a large joint-venture coal mine in the Gobi Desert while Rio Tinto is about to open one of the biggest copper mines on the planet. It will soon account for more than 30 percent of the country's entire gross domestic product (GDP). ―Some of the optimistic geologists we have say that this business could run for up to 100 years. Those more conservatively say 50 years plus,‖ said Cameron McRae, president and chief executive officer of Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The Rio Tinto deal means the company keeps a large controlling stake in the operation and cedes the Mongolian government a 34 percent stake. That has provoked widespread controversy and a degree of resentment among locals who are worried about where the benefits of Mongolia's resource wealth will go. There is concern the government is ill-equipped to strike complex and sophisticated mining deals in the national interest. ―People have different views on the deal,‖ said Dorshteri, a member of the Responsible Mining Initiative. ―My feeling is Mongolia made a political decision. After all, the deal is a financial transaction and whether it's beneficial to Mongolia, I have many doubts about.‖ And it is not only the deals that are sounding alarm bells. Environmentalists worry the mining push has come so fast and aggressively that proper checks and balances are not in place. The other big question is how will the spread of mining and its use of scarce natural resources such as water impact the range of proud Mongolian nomadic herders. Source: ABC
  • 10. WATER GONE TO WASTE Research will begin for the introduction of a water system to Ulaanbaatar's ger district due to gross misuse of water, said an official from the Water and Sanitation Recovery Committee (WSRC). Research shows that water waste is high in Mongolia, with between 60 and 80 percent of water loss caused by certain entities, said B. Dorjbat, a specialist at the WSRC. Water loss is either categorized as physical loss, often due to leakage from technical problems or poor piping, or through commercial loss, such as when water meters are illegally fixed to provide inaccurate readings. The total amount of water loss from 30 water distributors in Ulaanbaatar is 14.8 million cubic meters," said Dorjbat. "That is enough to provide drinking water for 96 days to Ulaanbaatar residents." To be sure that it is only a few companies responsible for the most loss, he added that the loss from just 20 companies amounts to just 4.3 million cubic meters. He also noted that Zavkhan Aimag is responsible for the most loss in the country. At the ger districts in Ulaanbaatar water is sold for just MNT 1 per liter compared with costs of up to MNT 6 for pumping water. Apartment dwellers pay MNT 0.32 a liter. A cubic meter of water costs MNT 325 in Mongolia compared with MNT 851 in China, MNT 1,082 in Russia, and MNT 985 in South Korea. A household of four living in the ger district is likely to consumer 1,200 liters of water for MNT 1,200, roughly the same price as a loaf of bread. With water so cheap people pay little mind to its conservation, said Dorjbat. Source: Udriin Sonin NOMADIC LIFESTYLE UNDER DEBATE Geographers from the University of Leicester are involved in research on pastoralism, environment and livelihoods at a critical juncture in decision making over the future of Mongolia's rural areas. The two-year study, Community, Place and Pastoralism: Nature and Society in Post-Soviet Central Asia, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and involving work in both Mongolia and Kazakhstan, led to a meeting in Ulaanbaatar in September 2012, organized by the University of Leicester team and their Mongolian colleagues. At this meeting herders were able to discuss key land and livelihood issues directly with ministers, donor and government advisors. ―Mongolian herders are facing multiple pressures on their livelihoods, traditionally based on nomadic pastoralism, from climate change, mining, desertification and new policies on land. Through our project, national decision makers were brought together with affected parties and local stakeholders to debate some of the vital issues pertaining to nomadic culture, livelihoods and identity in modern Mongolia.‖ In recent years Mongolian herders have been encouraged through government policy and donor interventions to form herder groups. These groups are designed to collaborate in pasture management, labor sharing and environmental conservation, as well as marketing of their livestock products, thus improving local livelihood and resilience. A long-debated pastureland law, to be considered by the government in the next session of Parliament, seeks to strengthen rights to key seasonal pastures for families and herders groups. Although this law focuses on possession rather than ownership rights, for some herders it has raised fears over the ultimate privatization of pastureland and reduction in the ability to move, particularly in times of need. Government policy is also promoting intensification of livestock production, bringing tensions between mobile and more sedentary livestock production and raising questions about identity in modern Mongolia. The Leveler team is finalizing detailed reports and articles to share with herders, international donors, and government policy makers, as part of their contribution to these vital, ongoing debates. Results of the work have also been presented at this year's Royal Geographical Society. Source: Science Daily HOLIDAY DONATIONS The Friends of Mongolia aid group, a U.S. based non-profit organization founded in the state of New
  • 11. York in 1999 by a group of volunteers from the seventh training group of Peace Corps Mongolia volunteers, will be collecting donations to benefit Mongolia's needy children in Choibalsan Soum this holiday season. ―The period between Canadian Thanksgiving in October through American Thanksgiving this week and the holidays at the end of December seems like a good time to consider opportunities to help Mongolia's poorest children,‖ said Steve Saunders, president of the North American Mongolian Business Council (NAMBC). Friends of Mongolia collects donations of clothes, books and toys each year to ship to the Anna Home: All for Children non-governmental organization in Choibalsan, Dornogobi Aimag. Dornod has a history of high levels of poverty, alcoholism, and deaths due to preventable and treatable diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza. Source: NAMBC INVESTORS MAKE SWIFT GRAB FOR GOLD Gold, a strong export commodity for Mongolia, is back from the wilderness. There were moments during the summer, as prices lurched down toward USD 1,500 a troy ounce, when investors began to question whether the decade-long bull market in the precious metal had ended. But since traders first began to anticipate the U.S. Federal Reserve's move to launch a fresh program of ―quantitative easing‖ in mid-August, gold has barely paused for breath. Its price has jumped 12.5 percent, last Friday touching the highest level in nearly a year of USD 1,795 a troy ounce. Measured in euros or Swiss francs, gold has this week hit all-time highs. ―The swing is just remarkable in terms of sentiment,‖ said Philip Klapwijk, head of metals analytics at Thomson Reuters GFMS. Bill Gross of Pimco, the world's largest bond fund manager, this week warned that if the United States failed to put its finances on a sustainable footing ―bonds would be burnt to a crisp and stocks would certainly be singed.‖ He concluded: ―Only gold and real assets would thrive.‖ George Soros and John Paulson added to their gold holdings in the second quarter and bankers say that large hedge funds have continued their gold buying spree in recent months. Also, investors have lifted their gold holdings via exchange traded funds by 158 tons since the start of August to a record level. Read more… But some traders are beginning to feel nervous, pointing to weak physical markets. Demand from India and China, the two largest physical markets, remains unspectacular, even if it has bounced back in the past fortnight as the rupee strengthened, making bullion more affordable. Moreover, the rally appears to have stalled just below USD 1,800—a level that has proved a stubborn barrier for several other rallies in the past year. Yet, with the United States at risk of going over a ―fiscal cliff‖, the prospect of another round of global ―currency wars,‖ and the possibility of further expansion of central bank balance sheets leading to higher inflation expectations, it is difficult to find anyone who is bearish on gold. Source: Financial Times POLITICS DP CLAIMS VICTORY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS The Democratic Party (DP) has claimed victory in the local elections held on Wednesday. Prime Minister N. Altankhuyag announced that according to data collected, the DP won 13 or 14 of Mongolia‘s 21 provinces. "This is the first time that the DP has won in Uvs, Tuv, Hovd, and Bulgan Aimags, and also they have a clean lead in nine districts, except for Bagakhangai district, in Ulaanbaatar city." Source: News.mn
  • 12. GOVERNMENT AND MONGOL BANK TARGET STABLE FOOD PRICES The government has made an agreement with the Bank of Mongolia to introduce a program to stabilize food prices. The program is one of four where the government is trying to introduce price controls. The program will focus on maintaining consistent prices for meat, flour, rice, vegetables, and other food staples. Source: Zuunii Medee ACADEMICS SUBMIT MINE CLOSURE BILL Members of the teach staff at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) have developed a bill that would regulate the closure of mines. "At this time when the mining sector has changed, it is improper to follow the formal procedures," said M. Dagva, a professor at MUST. "We need a new regulation that covers a broader scale and meets current requirements." The legislation aims to regulate issues such as ensuring the safety of where mines have been closed and where activities continue, ways for using infrastructure for the future, and minimizing the impacts from the closure of mines. The legislation would also help clarify the regulations that must be followed when closing a mine. The bill would have to be considered after the draft Minerals Law is finished with its preparations by the president and passed by Parliament. Source: Centerra Gold Inc., Zuunii Medee NEW TAX ON PROPERTY USED FOR BUSINESS BEGINS 2013 New property taxes for Ulaanbaatar will begin taking effect on 1 January next year. Property taxes will vary between 0.6 and 1 percent depending on its use and location, said Ulaanbaatar Deputy Mayor N. Bataa. Taxes will be due quarterly for businesses while individuals will be responsible for annual payments. Only property used for business will be subject to the new taxation, while residential properties are exempt. In 2001 Parliament passed its first property tax of 0.6 percent on all properties used for business. The current tax was passed in 2010, but will not take effect until the start of 2013. The City of Ulaanbaatar is seeking ways to raise capital to finance the budget of coming years. City authorities estimate that the tax will generate MNT 3.8 billion in revenue to the city government, with current annual revenue at some MNT 390 billion. Source: News.mn MONGOLIA ASCENDS IN OSCE MEMBERSHIP The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has elevated Mongolia's position to a member nation. Mongolia becomes OSCE''s 57th participating state, said a statement from the transnational organization. The decision to welcome Mongolia into the organization was taken by consensus. ―Mongolia has been a long-standing Asian partner for cooperation of the OSCE,‖ Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore said. ―The OSCE is addressing the many transnational security challenges we face across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian region and Mongolia's desire to join fully in our efforts underlines the importance of our organization's work.‖ Mongolia will formally take its position at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Dubai on 6 December. The event will signal a deepened partnership, said Gilmore. Mongolia has been a partner member of the OSCE since 2004. Source: Trend JAPAN, N. KOREA BEGIN NEW ROUND OF TALKS IN MONGOLIA Japan and North Korea held talks last week in Mongolia that Tokyo hopes will shed light on decades- old abductions. Japan wanted information on the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents in the 1970s and '80s. Japan believes at least one abducted citizen may still be alive in the north, though
  • 13. North Korea denies this. Five abductees were returned to Japan in 2002. Japan and North Korea do not have formal diplomatic relations. The abduction issues and concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs have long strained ties. Japanese officials indicated before the start of the talks that they expected them to be tough and not likely to lead to any immediate breakthroughs. North Korea's official media proved few details, reporting only that they were intended to deal with issues of mutual interest. Japan has imposed strict sanctions against North Korea and cut off most economic and cultural exchanges in 2006 after a missile launch. Tensions heightened again earlier this year when the North launched a rocket saying it carried a satellite, but that Japan and other countries criticized as a thinly disguised test of long-range missile technology. The launch failed just after takeoff. Source: Washington Post MONGOLIA, N. KOREA PLEDGE TO BOOST COOPERATION Mongolian and North Korean officials pledged for bilateral cooperation in various fields during the recent visit by North Korean officials. The two countries have been sharing traditional friendship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948, Z. Enkhbold, Parliament Speaker said during his meeting with Choe Tae-bok, Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly. ―I want to say that Mongolia is ready to cooperate with the new leader of the DPRK and continue the traditional friendly relationship,‖ Enkhbold said. He said he hoped the two countries can cooperate in trade, information technology, exchange of workforce and lease of ocean ports as Mongolia is a landlocked country. Enkhbold noted Choe's visit to Mongolia is very important in enhancing cooperation between their two respective legislative bodies. The speaker also said the Mongolian government is currently making efforts to promote economic development and raise the international competitiveness of Mongolia's economy. One example he gave was the construction of an industrial park to help Mongolia reduce its dependency on mining. Choe, for his part, said, ―...our two countries are closely working together at international levels, especially under the U.N. framework. This relationship is contributing to friendly and stable development of Northeast Asia.‖ Source: Xinhuanet PRESIDENT EXTENDS INVITATION TO N. KOREA'S KIM JONG-UN President Ts. Elbegdorj said Mongolia would welcome a visit by North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, during a meeting with a top official. Elbegdorj met with the Chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Tae-bok during his recent visit to have talks with Japanese officials. The president said he hoped the visit would bring stronger relations between their respective nations. During their talks Elbegdorj invited North Korea's leader to visit Mongolia. ―First, most important is the high-level mutual visits. Thereby, we are ready to welcome the supreme leader to our country,‖ said Elbegdorj. The president also discussed the need for economic cooperation for the exploitation of natural resources and to build infrastructure. They also discussed the possibility of cooperating for sea transport of Mongolian exports through North Korea's ports. The president also noted an official discussion he had with Kim Yong-nam, Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, where they discussed matters of aid for food to North Korea. He added that Mongolia could be used as a setting for peace talks in the future, saying that Mongolia was prepared to host six such official meetings in Ulaanbaatar. ―For the purpose of fostering peace in Asia, as well as expanding cooperation within the countries in the East Asian region, Mongolia holds the position of using peaceful dialogues as a mean to handles issues on the Korean Peninsula,‖ he said. Source: Info Mongolia
  • 14. AUSTRALIAN MINISTER RAISES LAWYER'S DETENTION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he's raised the case of an Australian lawyer prevented from leaving Mongolia with the foreign minister. Authorities stopped Sarah Armstrong at Ulaanbaatar airport from leaving in mid-October because authorities wanted to question her over corruption allegations. The 32-year old is a lawyer for Rio Tinto PLC‘s mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources Ltd. Carr said the government has flagged its concern over Armstrong's month-long detention and he hopes she will be allowed to leave Mongolia soon. ―She's been interviewed as part of these corruption investigations, she's had daily contact from our consulate general, David Lawson,‖ he said. ―We're taking a keen interest in her case. I raised it with the foreign minister of Mongolia, who I met in Bali last week, and I asked him if he'd take an interest in it.‖ If Armstrong were to seek more consular assistance the government was ready to give it, but it was limited in what help it could offer, Carr added. ―We can offer consular assistance in these cases. We can't, however, have the government fight the case for an Australian overseas in a foreign judicial system,‖ he said. Source: Sky News QATAR'S AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS Qatari Ambassador to China Hamad bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa presented his diplomatic credentials to Mongolia this week. The ambassador submitted his credentials as a non-resident ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Qatar to Mongolia. The official act came during a meeting between the ambassador and the Mongolian foreign ministry's protocols department director. He wished the Qatari official success in his mission to contribute to the development of relations between their two countries. Source: The Peninsula Qatar MONGOLIA, INDIA SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT Mongolian and Indian military officials have agreed to cooperate on military programs in 2013. Brigadier General D. Bayarsaikhan and Indian defense ministry official Smita Nagaraj signed a memorandum promising to collaborate for information technology between each nation's defense ministries. The agreement also plans for next year's joint military training codenamed Nomadic Elephant, which was first held in 2004 in Mongolia. They also planned for next year's Khaan Quest military exercise. Source: Info Mongolia SOLDIER DIES OF HEALTH PROBLEMS WHILE SERVING IN SOUTH SUDAN A Mongolian peacekeeper serving in South Sudan died of health problems last week. First Sergeant G. Munkh-Erdene served in the first round battalion under the U.N. mandate to support peacekeeping missions as a driver for the transport division. According to Deputy Chief of Staff N. Bayarmagnai, Munkh-Erdene suffered from epilepsy and fell down while serving in Juba, South Sudan. The soldier was sent to Cambodia for treatment but eventually died of a stroke early the next morning. Autopsy results said he died of a heart attack. ―Every peacekeeper has free medical checks‖, said Bayarmagnai, explaining the screening process soldiers receive before being sent abroad. ―G. Munkh-Erdene did not have any health problems when he was sent to South Sudan.‖ Munkh-Erdene arrived in Mongolia via Turkish Airlines from Istanbul last Saturday and was buried in the town he was born in, at his family's request. He served 12 years in the Mongolian Armed Forces where he worked in the 123rd military unit in Hovd before being sent to South Sudan. He also completed missions in Sierra-Leone in 2006 and 2009. He received two medals from the United Nations and a ―For the Motherland‖ honorary medal.
  • 15. Source: News.mn ENKHBAYAR'S SON EXITS MPRP E. Batshugar, son of incarcerated former President and leader of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) N. Enkhbayar, has withdrawn his membership from the party. Some reports say the rising political figure stepped away from the party to step out of his father's shadow. Many in government reportedly believe some political hopefuls hoped to use Batshugar's family name as a political device. However, Batshugar said officially that he withdrew his party membership because of his recent appointment as a vice president of the Bank of Mongolia. ―According to the law, it is not allowed for a member of state staff to be a member of a party,‖ said a statement. It added, ―There is no special reason behind this.‖ Source: News.mn CALL FOR GOBI BEAR'S PROTECTION IN 2013 The Ministry of Environment and Green Development has designated 2013 as ―Year of Protecting the Gobi Bear.‖ The ministry unveiled a series of protective measures, including the establishment of a nature reserve to restore safe habitat for the rare wild species and the setup of a working group immediately to explore ways of increasing their population. The Gobi bear is a subspecies of the brown bear that is critically endangered in the Gobi Desert. A survey by environment officials and wildlife experts on the bear's living conditions in their habitat has found that the numbers of the animal had declined to the near-extinction of 22 heads. The measures also include introduction of foreign expertise on wild animal protection and reproduction, and the setup of a protection fund for the bear. Mongolian wildlife experts told local media that environment degradation in the Gobi bear's habitat and the animal's long breading cycle were the two major reasons for their population drop. The bear usually gives birth to one cub every two years. Mongolia has prohibited hunting of the Gobi bear since 1953. Source: China Daily MONGOLIA-TIBET TIES STILL STRONG, SAYS DALAI LAMA The Dalai Lama acknowledged Mongolia as an important ally to the people of Tibet and a center for Buddhist practices. "When I first visited Mongolia in 1979, there was no religious freedom for Mongolians under the communist rule, but I clearly realized at the time that people nurtured deep faith in Buddhism and reverence for me," said that Dalai Lama during an ongoing discourse for Mongolian devotees in Dharamsala, India. "We have met several times after Mongolians achieved freedom, and our thousands-of-years-old historical bond continues to remain alive and strong." The Dalai Lama launched a website in Mongolian language during his visit to Mongolia in 2011. It offers visitors words about the Dalai Lama's teachings on Buddhism, environment, science, human values, peace, and non-violence. He expressed hope that the website would be helpful to Mongolian devotees. "Technology has made tremendous progress, but it is being also used to create violence. In this new century, we must use technology to promote love and compassion," he said. Source: India Education Diary ANNOUNCEMENTS MONGOLIA INVESTMENT CONGRESS 2012, SHANGHAI, 10 December Mongolian Investment Congress 2012 will be held in Shanghai, China on 10 December. The event is presented by the Mongolian Stock Exchange and Mongolian National Mining Association, and INBC Global.
  • 16. From mining, export infrastructure, and power generation to financial services, energy projects, property development and more, Mongolian Investment Congress 2012 offers investment and development opportunities at every turn. Highlights for topics of discussion include international investment opportunities in Mongolia, challenges for foreign investors in the mining industry and the coal reserves and resources. The Clean Coal Asia Summit 2012, Shanghai, 11-12 December The event serves as the information and networking platform for commercializing clean coal technologies in Asia and the world. Highlights for discussion include China's government policies in the clear energy of China's 12th five-year plan (2011-2015) and innovation and new projects in coal gasification and liquefaction. ___________________________________________ COAL MONGOLIA 2013, 21-22 FEBRUARY, SS CLUB It is a great pleasure to announce that we are organizing the International Coal Investors Conference and Exhibition ―COAL MONGOLIA-2013‖ on February 21-22, 2013, for the third time. The International Conference and Exhibition ―Coal Mongolia‖ has become the biggest Conference in Mongolia and it has been a great opportunity to explore the Mongolian coal industry. Mongolia‘s total coal resource is 162.3 billion tons with 300 deposits and is one of the world‘s top 15 coal rich countries. We had over 700 delegates from over 300 foreign and domestic companies, NGOs, and Government officials in our last Conference. BCM is supporting this event. BCM members will get special discount. WHAT IS NEW THIS TIME - New investment opportunities in coal exploration, production and processing projects in Mongolia - the fastest growing economy in the world - Partnerships – bringing Mongolian Coal Miners to the International Market - Mongolian New Government Position, Investment policy and Environment - Environmentally friendly, new and efficient technologies in Coal Industry We invite you to participate in the conference and we hope that the conference theme will be the source of knowledge and inspiration in your further activities. Please contact Oyun at oyun@mining.mn or at 70115590. www.coalmongolia.mn ___________________________________________ THIRD RISK FORUM, 27-28 FEBRUARY, BLUE SKY TOWER BCM is hosting the third annual Risk Forum of Mongolia from 27 to 28 February at the Blue Sky Tower. The forum is co-organized by BCM and Mandal Insurance. It is the most focused and informative risk management event in Mongolia. This year, the forum will feature excellent participation of key stakeholders of risk management and aims to become the catapult of change in Risk Management practice of Mongolia. For more information call 11 317 027. ___________________________________________ REGISTER NOW FOR MONGOLIAN MINING DIRECTORY - 2013 Mongolian Mining Directory-2013 which provides information database for mining companies, investors, suppliers, service companies, government and non government organizations will be published for the fourth year to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Mongolian mining industry. The MMD is distributed free of charge to international and domestic mining companies, international conferences and exhibition, embassy offices in Mongolia and foreign countries to investors.
  • 17. BCM is a Supporting Organization of the MMD and welcomes Mongolian mining industry participants who are interested in advertising their products and services in Mongolian Mining Directory-2013. For more information please visit: www.mining.mn, www.mongolianminingdirectory.mn or call +976-7011 5590. ___________________________________________ REGISTER FOR BCM‟S MINING SUPPLY CHAIN DATABASE AT NO COST The new version of BCM‘s Mining Supply Chain Database is in use. Following the initiative of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, the BCM has maintained the Mining Supply Chain Database since March 2009. It is an honor to introduce you to the new version of the database which is totally upgraded as to its content and use of information technology opportunities. Approximately 1,400 entities are registered, of which about 95 percent are Mongolian-owned suppliers. We are inviting all Mongolian mining suppliers and buyer companies to join the Mining Supply Chain Database. Please visit here for registration. If you have any questions regarding the database, please contact Undral at undral@bcmongolia.org or 317027. ___________________________________________ “MM TODAY” on MNB-TV, Friday‟s at 18:50 BCM is pleased to announce that Mongolian National Broadcasting continues its cooperation with BCM on ―MM Today‖. This English news program is aired every Friday for 10 minutes and is scheduled from 18:50 to 19:00 tonight. Tune in to watch this program that reports stories from today‘s BCM NewsWire. BCM WEBSITES MONGOLIAN WEBSITE „PRESENTATIONS‟ AND „NEWS‟ SECTIONS The new ‗Presentations‘ section on BCM‘s Mongolian website can be reached via bcm.mn/itgeluud. Several presentations already posted include the World Bank‘s Mongolia Quarterly Economic Update–June 2012 and 11 speeches from the 2nd Coaltrans Forum, held on 23 to 24 May in Ulaanbaatar. As a key component of BCM‘s Mongolian website, articles from the ‗News‘ section and the government website Open-Government.mn are regularly updated. ___________________________________________ ENGLISH WEBSITE: 'PRESENTATIONS', 'MONGOLIA REPORTS', „MONGOLIAN BUSINESS NEWS‟, „PHOTO GALLERY‟ On BCM‘s English website, the ―Resources‖ and ―Presentations‖ sections are available. Just uploaded are 25 presentations from the Mongolian Investment Summit 2012 on 30-31 October in Hong Kong; recent postings from BCM‘s 5 November and 24 September monthly meetings; and 9 presentations from Discover Mongolia 2012. The ―Mongolia Reports‖ section includes ―Mongolia Business Owner and CFO Survey‖ by BDSec JSC; ―The fiscal regime for mining - a way forward‖ by IMF Fiscal Affairs Department; ―Mongolia-a supplement to Mining Journal‖ from Mining Journal October, 2012; ―Macro Overview‖ September, 2012 by EPCRC; ―Taxes for Expatriates in Mongolia‖ from PricewaterhouseCoopers; and the ―2012 Mongolia Investment Climate Statement‖ by the Economic and Commercial Section of the U.S. Embassy. BCM's English website includes the ―Mongolia Business News‖ section where the Open Letter to Parliament and Government is available for download. BCM continuously posts news stories and analysis of relevance to Mongolia at ‗Mongolian Business
  • 18. News‖ before they are all put together each week for Friday's weekly NewsWire. The ―Photo Gallery‖ contains photos from the 5th Anniversary BCM Gala dinner on November 5. The BCM NewsWire will continue to be issued each Friday, incorporating items already on the home page for a consolidated account of the week‘s events. ___________________________________________ SOCIAL NETWORK WITH BCM The Business Council of Mongolia (BCM) has expanded its reach to your favorite social networks. Keep up to date on the latest business deals in Mongolia and how the climate for investment is improving each day with BCM. Connect with BCM on Linked-in to join the diverse group of professional contacts creating a better business environment in Mongolia today. Add BCM on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-BUSINESS-COUNCIL-OF- MONGOLIA/129826330435540 to read the latest announcements and comment on events carried in the NewsWire with the community. Hear breaking news and announcements as they happen when you follow BCM on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/bcMongolia. BCM now has 725 fans on our Facebook fans page, 888 connections on LinkedIn network, and 500+ followers following us on Twitter. Of course for news information, interviews, event photos, and announcements regarding our organization, visit the official BCM website at www.bcmongolia.org and www.bcm.mn. ECONOMIC INDICATORS
  • 19. INFLATION Year 2006 6.0% [source: National Statistical Office of Mongolia (NSOM)] Year 2007 *15.1% [source: NSOM] Year 2008 *22.1% [source: NSOM] Year 2009 *4.2% [source: NSOM] Year 2010 *13.0% [source: NSOM] Year 2011 *10.2% [source: NSOM] October 31, 2012 *15.0% [source: NSOM] *Year-over-year (y-o-y), nationwide Note: 15.0% y-o-y, Ulaanbaatar city, October 31, 2012 CENTRAL BANK POLICY LOAN RATE December 31, 2008 9.75% [source: IMF] March 11, 2009 14.00% [source: IMF] May 12, 2009 12.75% [source: IMF] June 12, 2009 11.50% [source: IMF] September 30, 2009 10.00% [source: IMF] May 12, 2010 11.00% [source: IMF] April 28, 2011 11.50% [source: IMF] August 25, 2011 11.75% [source: IMF] October 25, 2011 12.25% [source: IMF] March 19, 2012 12.75% [source: Mongol Bank] April 18, 2012 13.25% [source: Mongol bank]
  • 20. CURRENCY RATES – NOVEMBER 22, 2012 Currency Name Currency Rate US dollar USD 1,395.09 Euro EUR 1,792.34 Japanese yen JPY 17.15 British pound GBP 2,226.84 Hong Kong dollar HKD 179.86 Chinese Yuan CNY 223.96 Russian Ruble RUB 44.73 South Korean won KRW 1.28 Disclaimer: Except for reporting on BCM‘s activities, all information in the BCM NewsWire is selected from various news sources. Opinions are those of the respective news sources.