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Mongolia Daily: Budget sent to Parliament, fuel queues ease, EU adds bank to sanctions list

MongoliaDaily

Politics

Government Sends 2027 Budget Package to Parliament

Published: 2026-08-31

The government held an extraordinary meeting on August 31 and decided to submit its 2027 budget package to Parliament. The package includes amendments to the 2027 budget framework and forecasts for 2028-29, as well as proposed budgets for the National Wealth Fund and the social and health insurance funds. The proposal lists balanced revenue of MNT 41.3 trillion and expenditure of MNT 43.6 trillion; it separately lists a deficit of MNT 2.306 trillion. Prime Minister Uchral presented nine proposed measures covering tax changes, pension and public-sector pay increases, housing, energy, schools, healthcare facilities, and electric-vehicle charging stations. The package also identifies dividends from state-owned companies and proposed Oyu Tolgoi dividends as additional revenue sources, though the timing and amount of Oyu Tolgoi dividends remain unspecified.

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Parliament to Consider Measures Against Home-Purchase Fraud

Published: 2026-08-31

Lawmakers led by MP P. Sainzorig have proposed amendments to the General Law on State Registration intended to make off-plan home reservation transactions more transparent. The bill would reduce the risk of one apartment being sold more than once and allow buyers to check necessary information before signing a contract. As of August 20, housing fraud had affected 3,111 people and caused MNT 107.7 billion in losses, according to the reports. The supplied sources differ on whether Parliament would consider the bill in a spring or autumn session, so the timing is unclear. Parliamentary Speaker S. Byambatsogt said the proposed legal changes are intended to shift protection toward prevention.

“Legal reform should build a system that prevents fraud before it occurs, rather than resolving it after victims have been defrauded.” - S. Byambatsogt (tug.mn)

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Prosecutors Send Alleged Zamiin-Uud Customs Bribery Case to Court

Published: 2026-08-31

Prosecutors have sent the case against N.T., who was serving as head of risk management at the General Department of Customs office in Zamiin-Uud, Dornogovi Province, to the inter-soum first-instance court in Zamiin-Uud. N.T. is accused of accepting a total of MNT 88.5 million in bribes between April 15, 2023, and March 22, 2025. Prosecutors allege the payments were made to accelerate inspection and release approvals for customs declarations submitted by authorized representatives D.S. and T.E. D.S. is accused of paying MNT 52.5 million in 18 transactions connected to 2,366 declarations, while T.E. allegedly paid MNT 36 million in nine transactions connected to 1,274 declarations. Prosecutors filed charges for accepting and giving bribes under the Criminal Code.

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Audit Finds MNT 191.5 Million in Improper Party-Funding Spending

Published: 2026-08-31

The National Audit Office audited the use and reporting of MNT 6.9 billion in 2025 state funding allocated to seven political parties. Sources differ on the reported improper-spending total: two say MNT 191.5 million, while two say MNT 191.9 million. The listed categories—MNT 85.9 million in transactions recorded without primary documents, MNT 61.5 million transferred for training and media-content contracts that were not carried out, and MNT 44.1 million for gifts and cultural events—total MNT 191.5 million. The audit reported MNT 3.8 billion spent for designated purposes and MNT 3.1 billion on party operations. It identified transactions involving the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), Mongolian National Democratic Party, Civil Will Green Party, Mongolian Green Party and HUN Party. Auditors said oversight criteria and reporting rules were unclear or inconsistent with the law, disclosures were incomplete, and the General Election Commission had not fully fulfilled its monitoring role. Recommendations were sent to political parties.

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Economy

Euro-Grade AI-92 Gasoline Reaches MNT 4,970 Per Litre

Published: 2026-08-31

Euro-grade AI-92 gasoline sold for MNT 4,970 per litre as of August 24, according to National Statistics Office data reported by Ikon. The agency began tracking the product in April, when it sold for MNT 2,970 per litre; it was MNT 3,121 in July. Reported retail prices were MNT 4,980 at Petrovis, MNT 4,950 at Tes Petroleum, MNT 3,290 at Sod Mongol, and MNT 4,970 at Shunkhlai. Separately, the average AI-92 gasoline price was MNT 3,040 per litre, 17.4% above a year earlier, when it was MNT 2,590. Diesel was MNT 4,185 per litre, compared with MNT 2,990 a year earlier, an annual increase of 40%.

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Russian Fuel Export Curbs Highlight Mongolia’s Supply Dependence

Published: 2026-08-31

Russia extended its ban on diesel, marine-fuel, and gasoil exports through September 30 amid refinery disruptions and domestic fuel shortages. Mongolia imports all of its fuel, with about 97% coming from Russia, according to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. Reuters reported that Russian gasoline output had fallen to about 80,000 tonnes a day against summer demand of about 115,000 tonnes. The report linked the shortfall to drone strikes and outages at Russian refineries, including the Orsk refinery in Orenburg region. Russia also reportedly imported about 220,000 tonnes of gasoline in August, including 150,000 tonnes from Belarus. Restrictions on non-producer diesel exporters and motor-gasoline exports are set to continue until January 31, 2027, while the aviation-fuel export ban runs through November.

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Government Plans to Redirect State-Company Profits to Budget and Benefits

Published: 2026-08-31

Finance Ministry State Secretary M. Sanjaadorj said the government’s 2026 budget amendment proposes cutting MNT 1.4 trillion in spending and adding MNT 1.4 trillion in other expenditure, without raising overall spending or printing money. He said the government is seeking revenue without increasing taxes or fees, including by bringing spending now conducted outside the budget by state-owned companies into the budget. A bill submitted alongside the 2027 budget proposal would bar such companies from implementing other projects, including hospitals, schools and cultural centers. Sanjaadorj said this would make the funds subject to more transparent public discussion and support decisions on salaries and pensions. He cited Erdenes Mongol’s MNT 3.5 trillion balance-sheet net profit, MNT 3.2 trillion in projects, and MNT 7.6 trillion in undistributed state dividends at Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi.

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FICO Credit Scores Will Exclude Mobile and Utility Payment Data

Published: 2026-08-31

Sainscore said FICO credit scores in Mongolia will no longer use payment information from mobile operators or other utility-service providers. Scores will instead be calculated from credit-related data, including loans, repayment history, outstanding balances and broader borrowing behavior. The change accompanies a shift away from the common idea of a permanent credit “blacklist”: lenders may assess a borrower’s overall credit history and recent repayment conduct, alongside income, debt, collateral and their internal lending policies. Scores are recalculated after banks and financial institutions submit new credit information to the database, not immediately when a payment is made. Consumers who find missing, inaccurate or outdated information may submit a request or complaint through the Sainscore app or its call center. Credit reports and FICO scores are available through Sainscore and E-Mongolia.

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Diplomacy

EU Adds Chinggis Khaan Bank to Russia-Sanctions List

Published: 2026-08-31

The European Union has added Mongolia’s Chinggis Khaan Bank to its list of foreign financial institutions deemed to be obstructing the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia. The measure appears in EU Regulation 2026/1848, dated July 23, 2026, which names “Chinggis Khaan Bank” and took effect on August 13. The report does not specify the transactions or conduct that led to the designation, nor does it describe the practical restrictions imposed on the bank. The listing places the Mongolian lender within the EU’s sanctions framework targeting Russia and institutions alleged to facilitate the circumvention of related measures. Chinggis Khaan Bank’s response was not included in the source report.

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Published: 2026-08-31

President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh met Chinese President Xi Jinping to review cooperation under the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership. They discussed trade, cross-border railway construction, renewable energy, environmental protection, agriculture, light industry, mining, and long-term economic planning. The leaders highlighted the importance of border railway crossings for trade and exchanged views on completing the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod crossing in 2027, then commissioning rail links at Shiveekhuren-Sekhee, Bichigt-Zuun Khatavch, and Khangi-Mandal in stages. Xi said China would support petroleum-product supplies to Mongolia as global fuel supplies remain unstable because of geopolitical and geostrategic pressures. The sides also discussed trilateral Mongolia-China-Russia cooperation, including upgrading the Central Railway Corridor, a gas pipeline through Mongolia, and progress on the Erdeneburen hydropower plant. Xi congratulated Mongolia on hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

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Prime Minister Uchral to Meet Putin at Eastern Economic Forum

Published: 2026-08-31

Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok on September 2 during the Eastern Economic Forum. The forum will run from September 1 to 4 at the Far Eastern Federal University campus. The planned meeting will address opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in energy, transport, and education, which are identified as core areas of the relationship. The two leaders are also expected to give particular attention to increasing opportunities for Mongolian children to learn Russian and receive Russian-language instruction. International and regional issues are also on the agenda. The meeting is planned as part of the forum program, rather than as a completed diplomatic engagement.

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Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi to Visit Ulaanbaatar on September 2-3

Published: 2026-08-31

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is scheduled to visit Ulaanbaatar from September 2 to 3 as part of a wider trip that also includes Turkmenistan, Slovakia, and Austria. He is expected to meet Mongolia’s foreign minister and other senior government officials to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation. Planned talks will cover stronger cooperation in energy, infrastructure, science, and technology, as well as strategic cooperation to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law. Motegi last visited Mongolia in October 2020, when the two countries agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership and develop a new medium-term action plan through 2022. The upcoming visit is intended to review and advance the bilateral agenda, with particular attention to Japanese participation in energy, infrastructure, science, and technology.

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Khurelsukh Arrives in Bishkek for SCO Observer Summit

Published: 2026-08-31

President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh arrived in Bishkek on August 31 to attend the expanded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State meeting as an observer, scheduled for August 31-September 1. He is due to address the meeting and hold talks with leaders from SCO member states and dialogue partners on bilateral relations, cooperation and other shared concerns. Mongolia has observer status in the organization, alongside Afghanistan; the SCO’s 10 members include China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus and four Central Asian states. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet Khurelsukh on September 1, according to reports on the summit agenda. The meeting in Kyrgyzstan also includes planned talks between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Infrastructure

Fuel Queues Ease in Provinces but Shortages Persist in 30-40 Soums

Published: 2026-08-31

Mongolia’s fuel-supply task force said queues at provincial filling stations have eased, although 30-40 soums still face shortages of gasoline or diesel. As of August 30, 200 of 365 provincial stations were operating normally, and the average queue had fallen from 70-75 vehicles last week to 58. Bulgan and Dornod had queues exceeding 100 vehicles. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said August deliveries included 68,502 tonnes of 74,780 tonnes of ordered AI-92 gasoline, while all 158,530 tonnes of ordered diesel arrived. In the previous 24 hours, suppliers delivered 1,100 tonnes of gasoline in Ulaanbaatar and 681 tonnes elsewhere. September orders have been confirmed to cover estimated monthly consumption of 65,000 tonnes of AI-92 and 150,000 tonnes of diesel.

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Revised Water and Heating Tariffs Take Effect for Households and Businesses

Published: 2026-08-31

Apartment households and businesses now face revised water and heating tariffs announced by the Housing and Public Utilities Management Authority. For metered apartments, potable water is priced at MNT 2,000 per cubic meter and wastewater at MNT 1,820. Unmetered households will be charged per resident: MNT 18,414 monthly for water and MNT 16,430 for wastewater. Monthly base charges are MNT 3,125 for water and MNT 625 for wastewater. Apartment heating is set at MNT 531 per square meter, or MNT 3,592 per gigajoule when metered, plus a monthly heating base charge ranging from MNT 3,465 to MNT 11,550 by apartment size. The listed amounts exclude VAT. Water and heating rates were approved under December 11, 2025, and May 29, 2026 regulatory resolutions, respectively.

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Ulaanbaatar Plans 430,000 Tons of Fuel Sales for the Winter Heating Season

Published: 2026-08-31

Tavan Tolgoi Fuel LLC plans to sell 430,000 tons of fuel during the 2026-2027 heating season, which begins September 15. The plan includes more than 300,000 tons of semi-coke fuel and 80,000 tons of briquetted fuel through 446 sales points, plus 40,000 tons of packaged middlings for businesses. The company has accumulated 38,300 tons of fuel so far. Sources state that 50,000-60,000 tons of briquetted-fuel reserves are required when the heating season begins. It produces briquetted fuel through two lines in three workshops, with capacity increased to 50 tons per hour in 2024. About 170,000 Ulaanbaatar households use briquetted fuel, while 5,000 households have switched to gas fuel this year. City officials are preparing sales points and plan to use the Hotula application without duplicate registrations for fuel distribution.

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Baganuur Heating Plant Reports 82.1% Completion of Winter-Preparation Work

Published: 2026-08-31

Baganuur Heating Plant, commissioned in 1980, has completed 82.1 percent of 24 major works planned for winter preparation, according to an Energy Ministry inspection. Some work is not yet due, and the plant said all 24 works can be completed on schedule. Management said operating reliability and production responsiveness have deteriorated over the past 10 to 15 years because approved tariffs do not cover costs, leaving insufficient funds for maintenance and replacement of ageing equipment. Four boilers and four pumps need full replacement, while an ash pond commissioned in 1987 requires cleaning. Design work for a proposed 158 MW heating plant is nearing completion, though local authorities have suggested a combined heat-and-power plant instead.

“Regardless of the new source, the existing heating plant must be restored so consumers receive uninterrupted heat.” - B. Naidalaa (gogo.mn)

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License-Plate Restriction Paused for School-Year Opening

Published: 2026-08-31

Ulaanbaatar’s temporary odd-even vehicle license-plate restriction will not apply on September 1, the first day of the new school year. The Traffic Management Center said the arrangement, which began on August 15 and is due to run through September 12, will resume on September 2 from 07:00 to 21:00. On even-numbered dates, vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 may travel; on odd-numbered dates, those ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 may travel. Reports describe the restriction as applying without zone-based exemptions, but differ on whether its area is citywide or limited to the capital’s central six districts. Traffic is expected to be heavier on September 1 because schools reopen.

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Ulaanbaatar Buses Scheduled to Move to Winter Timetable on September 1

Published: 2026-08-31

Ulaanbaatar’s public-transport system is scheduled to move to its winter timetable on September 1, with services planned from 06:20 to 22:00 as the 2026–2027 school year begins and passenger demand is expected to increase. Passenger Transport Four has prepared 91 buses for 12 routes after conducting inspections and phased maintenance to support winter operations. The operator has also serviced and inspected eight Dongfeng school buses for the new school year. The buses are planned to run on eight routes and serve more than 1,000 students a day on average. It has stocked spare parts for 95 Yutong ZK6116HG buses and the eight school buses, while arranging driver and technical-staff readiness.

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Planned Maintenance Brings Temporary Power Restrictions to Three Districts

Published: 2026-08-31

Ulaanbaatar Electricity Distribution Network Company announced temporary electricity restrictions for August 31 in parts of Bayangol District’s 6th khoroo, Songinokhairkhan District’s 20th khoroo and Bayanzurkh District’s 11th khoroo. The work is part of planned distribution-network maintenance, which the company says is carried out under electricity-operation safety rules and technical operating standards. It also issued its September schedule for planned power restrictions and asked customers to adjust their consumption during the announced periods. Maintenance begins only after the relevant equipment has been fully de-energized. If weather conditions require a schedule change, the company said it will notify the mobile number registered under the customer contract.

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Published: 2026-08-31

A first work train has travelled on the new branch railway being built from Bagakhangai through Khushig Valley to Emelt, allowing engineers from Mongolian Railway and Transport Minister B. Delgersaikhan to inspect construction. The 20-wagon train, described as having 1,700-ton capacity, travelled at 40 km/h from Bagakhangai-2 station to the 91-kilometre point, passing five reinforced-concrete bridges and one passing loop before unloading and returning. The 127.1-km line is planned to run from Bagakhangai station on the Ulaanbaatar Railway network via Sergelen soum and south of Chinggis Khaan International Airport to Emelt station. It is planned with four stations, three passing loops, nine bridge structures totaling 1,200 metres and 127 culverts. The project is being implemented in two phases by Mongolian Railway.

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Ulaanbaatar Rail Corridor Planned for Conversion to Road

Published: 2026-08-31

A 127-kilometer railway linking Bagakhangai and Emeelt is nearly ready for commissioning, according to Transport Minister B. Delgersaikhan. The new line is to be transferred free of charge to Ulaanbaatar Railway, the Mongolian-Russian joint company. In exchange, Mongolia plans to take ownership of the railway running through Ulaanbaatar, dismantle it and use the corridor for a road crossing the capital. The proposal would repurpose the existing urban rail alignment for road transport. The report did not provide a timetable for the ownership transfer, dismantling work or road construction.

“We will transfer the Bagakhangai-Emeelt railway free of charge to the Mongolian-Russian joint company Ulaanbaatar Railway.” - B. Delgersaikhan (eagle.mn)

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Ulaanbaatar Prepares 67 School Buses for 64 Routes

Published: 2026-08-31

Ulaanbaatar has prepared 67 school buses to serve 84 general education schools on 64 routes in the 2026-27 academic year, according to E. Turmunkh, a project researcher at the Public Transport Policy Office. Safety diagnostics intended to ensure the buses can transport students are about 80 percent complete, Turmunkh said. The fleet size is unchanged from the previous school year, when 67 buses transported students to 82 schools on 62 routes. This year’s plan adds two schools and two routes while retaining the same number of vehicles. The buses are reported ready to provide organized transport for students at the 84 schools, while the safety-diagnostics process remains about 80 percent complete.

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Society

Retired Officers to Serve as Child-Protection Police Officers at 34 Ulaanbaatar Schools

Published: 2026-08-31

Reports said retired police and internal-troops officers would serve as Child-Protection Police Officers at 34 Ulaanbaatar general education schools from September 1 under the Safe School national program, while one supplied report said the work had already begun from that date. The initiative involves the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, police, the Ministry of Education and the police and internal-troops veterans committee. Officers are to assess risks in and around schools, identify children in vulnerable situations, report suspected offenses and help prevent bullying, violence, substance use, online harassment, fraud and sexual violence. They will support School Police parent patrols and conduct prevention training with the Teen Prevention club. Authorities recorded 10,665 crimes involving child victims over five years, including 1,228 in school settings; 74 percent were recorded in the capital.

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Chinggis Khaan Airport Opens Designated Milk-Offering Area

Published: 2026-08-31

Chinggis Khaan International Airport has opened a designated area for milk offerings in Khushig Valley for people seeing off departing passengers. Offering milk to wish travelers a smooth journey is a Mongolian tradition, but leaving milk or other food in undesignated airport areas can attract birds and animals and increase the risk of collisions with aircraft. Spoiled food can also create odors and affect the appearance of surrounding areas. The designated site was established in response to those potential flight-safety and environmental concerns. It is on the pedestrian path east of the parking lot, opposite the bus stop. Airport authorities asked visitors accompanying relatives or friends for departure to make milk offerings only at the designated location.

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Emergency Agency Warns Businesses of Impersonation Scam Seeking Payments

Published: 2026-08-31

The National Emergency Management Agency has warned businesses and service operators about several cases in which callers impersonated state fire-safety inspectors to obtain money. The callers used the numbers 96100899, 80570899, 91004717 and 94650899, claiming that nationwide inspections were under way and that officials would visit to check fire safety and disaster-preparedness compliance. They then requested transfers to personal bank accounts for purported meal and training-material expenses. Authorities said some people and businesses transferred money, while other attempts were unsuccessful. The agency stressed that its personnel are legally prohibited from accepting fees, payments or donations from individuals or legal entities when providing public services such as inspections or training. Recipients of similar calls were told to notify emergency services or police immediately and not transfer money to personal or corporate accounts.

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Emergency Agency Warns Electrical Faults Drive Household Fires

Published: 2026-08-31

The National Emergency Management Agency has warned households to improve electrical safety to prevent fires. It said 52.4% of fires linked to electrical-safety violations stemmed from improper use, 33.3% from faulty installation and 14.3% from technical defects. Overloaded power strips, damaged switches and sockets, frayed cables, and unsafe use of appliances can cause overheating, insulation damage and short circuits. The agency advised residents not to use damaged wiring or outlets; avoid connecting several appliances to one socket; replace worn extension cords and connectors; unplug appliances by their plugs rather than their cords; and stop using heaters that overheat or show damaged cables or plugs. Electrical installation and repairs should be performed by qualified professionals.

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Environment

Bears Enter Settlements in Dornod and Khentii Provinces

Published: 2026-08-31

Reports of brown bears near settlements have increased in Dornod and Khentii provinces. On August 31, Bayan-Uul soum Governor M. Battulga posted video of four bears near the soum; the animals were driven away by vehicle, though authorities had not issued an official account of their origin or whether they had harmed people or livestock. A group of bears was also reported in the residential area of Cagaan-Ovoo soum, Dornod Province. In Khentii Province, a brown bear tore the covering and damaged the wooden frame of a ger at Egiin Burkhiin Grove in Batshireet soum on the night of August 28-29. Additional sightings were reported near Omnodelger and Kherlen soums. Brown bears are listed as a rare species and may not be hunted.

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Early Ground Frosts Forecast for Farming Areas in September

Published: 2026-08-31

September is expected to bring near-average temperatures across most of the country, with warmer-than-average conditions in the southwest and cooler conditions in parts of central and eastern provinces. Precipitation is forecast to be below average in the southwest and above average in parts of central and eastern Mongolia. The forecast says nighttime cooling may intensify despite relatively warm days, with sharp temperature drops, wet snow in mountain areas, frost in farming zones and sudden ground freezes possibly occurring earlier than usual. In central areas, Selenge and northeastern Tov are expected to be cooler and wetter than average; northern Khentii and Dornod may also be cooler, with above-average precipitation in Dornod and northern Khentii and Sukhbaatar. Farmers are advised to organize harvesting promptly and protect crops from frost and sudden freezes.

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COP17 Closes With Project Agreements and a Focus on Land Restoration

Published: 2026-08-31

The 12-day UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP17 conference in Ulaanbaatar concluded after delegates discussed land degradation, desertification, drought resilience, rangelands and sustainable livestock production. Organizers reported agreements, memorandums and other arrangements worth $1.48 billion for green projects and programs in Mongolia, including discussions with the European Investment Bank and World Bank, while a separate international package of about $1.29-$1.3 billion covered projects in 23 countries. These figures represent planned financing frameworks and commitments rather than funds already disbursed. Mongolia also promoted a $1.2 billion Rangelands Flagship Initiative spanning 45 projects globally. The event brought delegates, visitors and service-sector activity to Ulaanbaatar, but final costs and the domestic economic return remain to be reported.

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Oyu Tolgoi Plans Research to Protect and Replenish Gobi Water Resources

Published: 2026-08-31

Oyu Tolgoi LLC says it will expand research and pilot work over the next four to five years to protect and replenish water resources in the Gobi, following commitments announced at COP17 with Rio Tinto and Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi. Planned work includes groundwater studies, managed groundwater-recharge trials and technologies to capture rainfall, including underground reservoirs designed to limit evaporation. The company says it uses water from the Gunii Khooloi aquifer, 150-400 metres below ground, whose saline water has mineral levels three to four times above drinking-water standards. It estimates that its operations will use 20-25% of the deposit over 25 years and reports reusing 86-87% of its water. It is also updating the feasibility study for the Kherlen Toono surface-water transfer project with Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi.

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Atar-4 Loans Support Forecast for Larger Grain and Potato Harvest

Published: 2026-08-31

Prime Minister N. Uchral visited Tsagaannuur and Shaamar soums in Selenge, where farmers said government support under the Atar-4 campaign had contributed to expectations of a larger harvest than last year. In 2026, 580,400 hectares were planted, and the preliminary balance projects 555,300 tonnes of grain, 168,200 tonnes of potatoes, 218,400 tonnes of vegetables, 50,400 tonnes of oil crops and 201,800 tonnes of fodder. The projection puts the wheat harvest 229,600 tonnes higher and the potato harvest 54,100 tonnes higher than the previous year. Concessional loans totaling MNT 147.2 billion have gone to 951 farmers and businesses, including MNT 42 billion in Selenge. Farmers and local residents asked the sector ministry to convene a wheat-pricing meeting involving stakeholders, saying an agreed price could help producers recover costs, stabilize operations and support stable flour prices.

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Erdenet Reduces Water Use per Tonne of Copper Concentrate by 31 Percent

Published: 2026-08-31

Erdenet Mining Corporation has reduced water use per tonne of copper concentrate to 2.82 cubic meters, 31 percent below the national benchmark of about 4.1 cubic meters per tonne, the company said at COP17 Water Day. The mine uses 20.9 million cubic meters of water annually and extracts freshwater from the Selenge River basin, 65 kilometers from Erdenet, because of its location and continuous processing requirements. About 83 percent is used for technological operations; the remaining share supplies households and businesses in Orkhon Province. The company also treats municipal wastewater from Erdenet and reuses about 50 percent in production. It aims to use all treated wastewater in production, alongside reported measures to reduce process-water use and reuse treated and grey water. The presentation described these as water-conservation and reuse measures.

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Innovation

Government Submits Data Bill Covering Public Records and Data Centers

Published: 2026-08-31

The government has submitted a proposed Data Law to parliament, creating a framework for how data is generated, collected, stored, exchanged, reused and deleted. The 25-article bill would classify data as open, restricted or closed, and require public bodies to use lawful sources, collect only the minimum necessary data and retain auditable access logs. It proposes a shared government data-exchange system and a National Data Council chaired by the prime minister to coordinate policy. The proposal would allow domestic and foreign-registered companies to operate data centers in the country, while requiring at least three geographically and technically independent international internet connections. National-security and state-secret data could not be hosted abroad or in foreign-invested data centers. The bill proposes taking effect in 2027.

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Schools to Restrict Facebook and Group Chats for Official Learning Activities

Published: 2026-08-31

General education schools will restrict the use of social media, Facebook and online group chats for educational activities from September 1, 2026, under a joint order by the justice and home affairs minister and the education minister. Schools are instead to use institutional systems, learning-management systems and official digital platforms to exchange information connected with educational activities. Authorities said the change is intended to help prevent peer bullying, crimes and other violations, strengthen child safety, and protect personal data. The report does not identify a single replacement platform or specify how schools will apply the restriction to informal communications between parents, teachers and students.

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General Education Schools Move to Four-Term Calendar as 2026-27 Year Begins

Published: 2026-08-31

The 2026-27 academic year starts September 1, with an estimated 1,305,552 learners across 2,457 institutions. General education schools expect 843,095 students, including 75,838 first-graders; 242,742 children aged two to five have registered at 1,407 kindergartens. Kindergarten enrollment is 31,494 below 2023-24, while general-school enrollment has increased by 71,373 over that period. General education school students will move from three to four terms, with two independent-study weeks. One coincides with Lunar New Year in both urban and rural areas; the other comes before winter break in Ulaanbaatar and before spring break in rural areas, linked to livestock birthing. First-graders will use a revised, age-appropriate curriculum and new textbooks, spending their first month adjusting to school before formal letters and numbers. Authorities plan health screenings for 270,689 children before October 1 and a second Ulaanbaatar kindergarten registration round from September 3 to 11.

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Health

Active Plague Focus Confirmed in Khuvsgul’s Tsagaan-Uul Soum

Published: 2026-08-31

Laboratory tests have detected a culture of the plague pathogen in Tsagaan-Uul soum, Khuvsgul province, confirming that a natural plague focus there is active. The finding followed an August 14-31 field survey by Mongolian and Russian zoonotic-disease specialists, as well as an in-depth survey conducted by the Khuvsgul Zoonotic Disease Research Center in July. The team collected samples and assessed the condition of the natural focus and the risk of transmission to people. Authorities have proposed disinfestation measures to suppress the active focus and reduce infection risk. The National Center for Zoonotic Diseases and four Russian institutions plan regular joint surveys from 2026 through 2029 to assess cross-border plague risks. Khuvsgul’s Tumurbulag, Shine-Ider, Burentogtokh, Tsagaan-Uul, Arbulag, Tsetserleg, Bayanzurkh, and Rashaant soums have natural plague foci.

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State First Central Hospital Introduces Advanced Prostate Cancer Scan

Published: 2026-08-31

The Nuclear Medicine Department at State First Central Hospital has introduced Tc-HYNIC-PSMA SPECT/CT, a new diagnostic method for prostate cancer, reportedly for the first time in Mongolia. The nuclear-imaging technique uses a compound that binds to prostate-specific membrane antigen, or PSMA, a protein expressed on prostate cancer cells. After the compound is administered intravenously, a specialized scanner can identify primary tumor sites and cancer that has spread to other organs or bones. The hospital said the method can detect small early lesions and recurrences when blood tumor markers rise only slightly, helping clinicians assess disease stage and plan treatment. It also said the capability provides a diagnostic foundation for the future introduction of lutetium-177 PSMA radioligand therapy.

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