Politics
Budget Dispute Over School Linked to Prime Minister Referred to Anti-Corruption Agency
Published: 2026-09-10
A dispute has emerged during parliamentary consideration of the 2026 budget amendment over claims that funding was planned for Ikh Zasag Kings School, linked in reports to Prime Minister N. Uchral’s mother, J. Tsetsegmaa. Lawmakers and opposition representatives cited proposed figures including MNT 3.5 billion for the school and questioned the selection of private schools under the MNT 50 billion Nearby School, Best School initiative. Education Ministry State Secretary T. Nyam-Ochir initially said several schools had applied, then said the ministry had proposed cooperation and that Ikh Zasag Kings had declined. Uchral, Tsetsegmaa and Education Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan said the school had not requested state funding; Enkh-Amgalan said no private-school equipment-financing list had been approved. Uchral requested an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency, while Democratic Party representatives also filed a complaint.
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Parliament Committees Take Up Second Reading of 2026 Budget Revision
Published: 2026-09-10
Parliamentary standing committees are considering the government’s proposed revisions to the 2026 state budget, National Wealth Fund budget, social-insurance fund budget, and health-insurance fund budget. The government submitted the bills to Parliament on August 20. The Economic Standing Committee was scheduled to meet at 10:00 on September 10, followed by the State Structure Standing Committee at 14:00, both for second-reading discussions. On September 9, the Human Development and Social Policy Standing Committee completed its own second-reading review and agreed to submit its conclusions to the Budget Standing Committee. Finance Ministry State Secretary M. Sanjaadorj said the next year’s budget draft provides for salary increases in 2027 for administrative civil servants and special state servants. Members also discussed healthcare access, medicine supply, education funding, pensions, and public-sector wage policy.
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DP Prepares Possible Motion to Dismiss Uchral Government
Published: 2026-09-10
The DP (Democratic Party) says 41 of its lawmakers have signed a potential motion to dismiss the government led by Prime Minister Uchral, though the party has not formally submitted it. Under the reported parliamentary thresholds, 32 members are required to initiate consideration and more than 64 votes are needed to adopt a dismissal. The party would therefore need support beyond its own caucus. The move is expected to become clearer when Parliament’s extraordinary session opens on September 15, following DP leader O. Tsogtgerel’s return from China on September 14. The report says lawmakers associated with L. Oyun-Erdene have also held informal discussions, while some have favored replacing specific ministers instead of dismissing the entire cabinet. It also cites criticism over fuel shortages, price increases, budget changes and continuing vehicle restrictions.
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Appeals Court Revives Bribery Case Against Civil Aviation Chief
Published: 2026-09-10
The Capital City Criminal Appeals Court has overturned a lower-court order that sent the bribery case involving Civil Aviation Authority Director E. Torbayar back for additional investigation, directing the case to be reconsidered. Prosecutors allege that, while leading the Civil Aviation National Center, Torbayar accepted MNT 2 million through official E. Misheel on June 20, 2024, in exchange for hiring Gantulga as an electrician without a competitive selection process. Nurse N. Otgonbayar is also charged with offering the payment. The first-instance court had sought an investigation of Narmandakh. Torbayar’s lawyer requested a delay because he was reportedly in Malaysia, but the court found no travel order naming him.
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Economy
CNPC Agrees September Fuel Deliveries and Pursues Long-Term Supply Deal
Published: 2026-09-10
Industry and Mineral Resources Minister G. Damdinyam met CNPC President Zhou Xinhui to expand petroleum cooperation over the next 20 years. CNPC agreed to deliver 10,000 tonnes of motor gasoline, 4,000 tonnes of jet fuel and 3,000 tonnes of diesel in September. Mongolia also requested additional September deliveries of 5,000 tonnes of AI-92 gasoline and 20,000-30,000 tonnes of diesel, plus 10,000 tonnes of AI-92 and 30,000-40,000 tonnes of diesel in October; CNPC said it would review the request. The sides plan to pursue long-term supply contracts with guaranteed volumes, transparent pricing and rail-linked logistics. They also discussed revising 2026-2030 production plans for the Toson-Uul XIX and Tamsag XXI fields, supplying a refinery planned for 2028, and coal-chemicals cooperation.
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Fuel Imports Continue as 4,000 Tonnes of AI-92 Reach Ulaanbaatar Rail Network
Published: 2026-09-10
The fuel-supply rapid-response headquarters reported that 67 rail tank cars carrying about 4,000 tonnes of AI-92 gasoline had arrived on the Ulaanbaatar Railway network, with 28 cars being unloaded on September 10. Mongolia imported a total of 21,000 tonnes of AI-92 between September 1 and 10, according to Ch. Khishigdalai, director of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources’ Petroleum Policy Implementation Coordination Department. A first shipment ordered from South Korea in July also arrived: 36 rail cars carrying about 2,000 tonnes of AI-92 entered through the Zamiin-Uud border crossing and were being transferred. About 900 tonnes of petroleum products, including AI-92, were distributed to Ulaanbaatar filling stations the previous day, while around 700 tonnes were dispatched to 66 stations in provincial areas.
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Brent Crude Passes USD 100 as US-Iran Attacks Escalate
Published: 2026-09-10
Brent crude exceeded USD 100 a barrel for the first time since July as US-Iranian exchanges intensified, adding to concerns about energy costs and inflation. Eagle.mn reported that Brent futures reached USD 100.19 on Wednesday, while Urug.mn reported that Brent was USD 100.72 on September 9, up 3 percent; the latter report put WTI at USD 95.25, up 2.4 percent. Urug.mn said Brent had risen 25 percent since August and more than 60 percent since the start of 2026. Both reports described US attacks on Iranian oil tankers and Iranian strikes on US military or naval targets. Wall Street and European markets fell, while technology shares supported Asian trading. Sources also said higher diesel costs could lift service-sector costs and inflation, with investors monitoring the European Central Bank and US Federal Reserve.
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Minimum-Wage Talks Paused After MNT 1 Million Proposal Draws Objections
Published: 2026-09-10
Negotiations to raise the monthly minimum wage by 26.3 percent to MNT 1 million have been paused after objections from government and employer representatives, Family, Labour and Social Protection Minister T. Aubakir said. The National Tripartite Committee on Labour and Social Partnership had unanimously approved the proposed monthly level, equivalent to MNT 5,952.3 per hour, at an August 17 meeting. Aubakir said employers and the government were concerned that the increase could fuel inflation and create difficulties for businesses. The Mongolian Confederation of Trade Unions challenged the pause, saying the committee has exclusive legal authority to set, revise or change the minimum wage. The union cited the Minimum Wage Law, which requires the tripartite committee to set the rate every two years and allows revisions at the request of one or more parties. No new minimum-wage decision was reported.
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Foreign Trade Reaches $22.8 Billion in First Eight Months
Published: 2026-09-10
Mongolia’s foreign trade turnover reached about $22.8 billion in the first eight months of 2026, according to the General Customs Administration. The country exported $14.4 billion in goods and raw materials, a 57.2 percent increase from the same period last year, driven principally by higher mining exports. Coal exports rose 50.8 percent and copper concentrate exports increased 21.6 percent. Imports totaled $8.3 billion, with petroleum products accounting for 22.1 percent of the total. Imports of passenger and freight vehicles declined from a year earlier, while imports of wheat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and livestock products rose by 10.1 to 38.2 percent. The administration separately reported a $6 million trade surplus.
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Rio Tinto Chief Simon Trott Plans Mongolia Visit for Oyu Tolgoi Talks
Published: 2026-09-10
Rio Tinto Group chief executive Simon Trott is scheduled to visit Mongolia and meet Prime Minister Uchral and cabinet ministers to discuss cooperation between the government and the company, including issues related to Oyu Tolgoi. Isee reported the visit is planned for this week, while Itoim described it as a return to Ulaanbaatar about a year after Trott’s previous visit to the mine. Trott became Rio Tinto’s chief executive in August 2025 after leading its iron ore business. He joined the company in 2000 and previously served as its chief commercial officer. Oyu Tolgoi is central to Rio Tinto’s copper portfolio; the company expects its open-pit and underground operations to average about 500,000 tonnes of copper production annually from 2028 to 2036.
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Oil Explorer Plans to Increase Investment and Begin Drilling
Published: 2026-09-10
Mongolia Foyson Energy said it plans to increase its investment and begin drilling after its investor met Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources G. Damdinyam during the China Mining 2026 event in China. The company holds exploration rights for the Kherlentohoi XXVIII block, covering areas of Bayantumen, Bulgan, Matad and Kholonbuir soums in Dornod Province and Sukhbaatar soum in Sukhbaatar Province. It signed a production-sharing agreement with the government on November 21, 2024. Under its reported eight-year plan, the company would invest USD 49.7 million in exploration and drill 13 wells. The report says G. Adilbish and G. Solongo visited the site on August 14 and demanded that exploration stop. Damdinyam said the government would protect investors’ lawful interests. The announcement concerns planned drilling, not a reported oil discovery or production start.
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DP Lawmakers Challenge Higher Spending in 2026 Budget Revision
Published: 2026-09-10
DP lawmakers criticized the government’s proposed 2026 budget revision at a September 10 press briefing as Parliament considered it during an extraordinary session. MP B. Jargalan said the proposal would increase current expenditure and raise the fiscal deficit by MNT 2.05 trillion, arguing that it conflicts with efforts to contain inflation. He cited inflation at 13 percent and said external debt had reached USD 40.2 billion, equivalent to about MNT 145 trillion. MP P. Batchimeg said the revision lacked sufficient spending detail and criticized increases in non-priority current expenses alongside planned pension and public-service wage rises. The lawmakers urged the government to cut duplicated programs, reduce its structure and staffing, and lower administrative costs.
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South Korean Visitor Arrivals Rebound After Midyear Decline
Published: 2026-09-10
Visitor arrivals from South Korea have risen steadily since July, according to Mongolia’s tourism association for the South Korean market. Arrivals had declined continuously during the first six months of 2026, a trend attributed to the weaker won, competition in the Asian travel market and higher travel costs. Mongolia has received 734,000 tourists so far this year, with South Koreans accounting for 19.3% of the total. August brought 42,000 visitors from South Korea, the highest monthly figure of 2026 and a 15.6% increase from the same month last year. South Korea’s Chuseok harvest holiday is scheduled for September 25. The holiday period is traditionally associated with increased overseas travel by Korean residents traveling with family, friends and colleagues.
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Diplomacy
Vietnamese National Assembly Speaker Signs Cooperation Agreements During Visit
Published: 2026-09-10
Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man made an official visit to Ulaanbaatar from September 9 to 11 at the invitation of State Great Khural Chairman S. Byambatsogt. After an official welcome at Sukhbaatar Square, the two leaders held talks at the State Palace and signed cooperation memorandums between the legislatures and their secretariats. Byambatsogt said it was important to approve a joint plan to implement the memorandums through 2028 this year. He also proposed regular meetings and reciprocal visits by parliamentary groups and secretariats, and greater exchanges of legislative experience. The leaders agreed to intensify cooperation under the Comprehensive Partnership in trade, the economy, agriculture, culture, tourism, education and defense. Separately, Prime Minister N. Uchral and Tran discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, transport, logistics, tourism, education and culture, including a legal framework for air cargo and the science and technology subcommittee.
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Defense Officials Meet in Washington to Discuss Cooperation Priorities
Published: 2026-09-10
Senior officials from Mongolia’s Ministry of Defense are in Washington for the regular bilateral defense consultation with the US Department of War, held September 8–11. Mongolian State Secretary and Major General D. Gankhuyag leads the delegation, while Alvaro Smith, the Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for China, Taiwan and Mongolia, leads the US side. Participants are reviewing measures implemented under defense cooperation and discussing future cooperation directions. The delegation also plans working meetings with officials from the US Department of War and State Department and a visit to the US Naval Postgraduate School. The consultation offers the two governments a forum to coordinate defense-sector cooperation.
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Infrastructure
Price Dispute Stalls Russia-China Gas Pipeline Route Through Mongolia
Published: 2026-09-10
The proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, intended to carry Russian gas through Mongolia to China, has reportedly stalled over a wide gap in price expectations. Sources cited by the South China Morning Post said China seeks prices comparable to Russian domestic tariffs, while Russia wants rates closer to those used on the existing Power of Siberia 1 pipeline. The planned 2,600-kilometer route would carry up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually from the Yamal Peninsula. Russia and China signed a memorandum on the project in 2006. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said President Vladimir Putin had renamed the project Power of Nature. Gazprom and CNPC are discussing supply through and capacity expansion of the Far Eastern pipeline, while expansion work is underway on Power of Siberia 1.
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Ulaanbaatar Ends Temporary Odd-Even License Plate Restrictions
Published: 2026-09-10
Ulaanbaatar’s temporary citywide odd-even license plate restrictions will end on September 13, following their final day of enforcement on September 12. The measure has applied from 07:00 to 21:00 regardless of traffic zones since August 15. From the following Monday, the city will return to its regular weekday system, which restricts vehicles by the final digit of their license plates within designated zones from 08:00 to 20:00. Vehicles ending in 1 or 6 are restricted on Monday; 2 or 7 on Tuesday; 3 or 8 on Wednesday; 4 or 9 on Thursday; and 5 or 0 on Friday. The Ulaanbaatar Governor’s Office said the temporary system will not be extended.
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Power Restrictions Scheduled for September 11
Published: 2026-09-10
Ulaanbaatar Electricity Distribution Network JSC said it would restrict power supply in specified locations on September 11, 2026, to carry out maintenance on electricity lines and equipment. Notices published on September 10 said the restriction would affect locations listed by the utility and asked residents to adjust their electricity use during the interruption. The reports describe the measure as planned maintenance-related work. The supplied material does not provide the locations, duration, or times of the restrictions. The utility’s notices concern maintenance work on power lines and equipment scheduled for September 11.
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Cable-Car System Nears Testing After Construction Work Ends
Published: 2026-09-10
Construction and mechanical installation have been completed for the cable-car transport project from Artsat in Yarmag toward Kharkhorin shopping center and the Unur residential area in Ulaanbaatar’s Khan-Uul district. Work now focuses on interior finishing at two stations and system calibration. Testing is expected to begin late in September after the cable is connected to the main electricity grid. Initial tests will operate without passengers, using sandbags and water containers based on each cabin’s 750-kilogram capacity. Safety inspections are scheduled in stages during September and October. All components for 98 cabins, including hangers and clamps, have been installed. The 4.2-kilometer route is planned to carry up to 2,320 passengers an hour at peak periods, completing the trip in 11 minutes.
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Lawmaker M. Enkhtsetseg Challenges Renewable-Energy Tender for Oyu Tolgoi Supply
Published: 2026-09-10
MP M. Enkhtsetseg has challenged the Energy Ministry’s competitive selection for solar and wind projects in the Gobi region intended to supply Oyu Tolgoi with domestic electricity. She said the process concerned 600 megawatts of generation, or 1.7 billion kilowatt-hours annually, and criticized the disclosure of capacity, feasibility studies, technical and economic assessments, and tender information. Energy Minister B. Naidalaa said the sector needs new domestic sources to reduce import dependence; he reported that imports account for 22 percent of consumption and that winter-preparedness work is 75 percent complete. The dispute concerns the transparency and system planning of renewable projects, rather than whether renewable energy should be developed. Oyu Tolgoi’s electricity-import agreement with China is due to end in 2030, according to Naidalaa.
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Minister Says Tavan Tolgoi Power Plant Project Has No Prospect
Published: 2026-09-10
Energy Minister B. Naidalai said the long-delayed Tavan Tolgoi thermal power plant project has no realistic prospect, citing the lack of financing for coal-fired generation. The 450-megawatt project, discussed since 2012, was intended to supply Oyu Tolgoi, Tavan Tolgoi and other southern mining projects from a plant near Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi’s coal-processing facility in Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugovi Province. It stalled after disagreements involving Rio Tinto’s payment guarantee and Oyu Tolgoi’s purchase price, while procurement efforts in 2021, 2022 and 2023 also failed. The minister said waiting for the dispute and another tender would cost about USD 150 million annually. He said an open selection process has instead been announced for a new power plant in the Gobi region using renewable-energy resources. Oyu Tolgoi’s electricity-import contract with China expires in 2030.
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BRT Route Approved for Extension to Sodon District in Western Ulaanbaatar
Published: 2026-09-10
The steering committee for Ulaanbaatar’s bus rapid transit project has approved changes to the planned corridor, including an extension from the Ard Ayush Avenue intersection near the National Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics to the Sodon residential district. Planning around Sukhbaatar Square will be removed from the design. Officials cited housing, retail and service development, population settlement, rising public-transport demand, construction on the Tolgoit road and future district plans in the city’s western area. The Asian Development Bank-financed project is estimated at USD 60 million to USD 75 million and is planned for implementation from 2025 to 2030. The first-stage tender closed on June 10, 2026, and the second stage has begun. The BRT line is planned along the road’s third lane.
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Advance Seat Booking Begins on Airport and Outlying Bus Routes
Published: 2026-09-10
Ulaanbaatar has begun a trial service allowing passengers to reserve seats on buses serving Baganuur, Bagakhangai and Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Khushig Valley. The service is available through a mobile application introduced with the city’s new public-transport payment management system. It is intended to make long-distance travel more comfortable and gives users access to ride-sharing services. Ulaanbaatar’s public transport network operates about 1,180 vehicles across 139 routes. Between nine and 10 vehicles a day serve the Baganuur, Bagakhangai and Khushig Valley routes, according to the Public Transport Policy Office. The trial applies specifically to these outlying, long-distance services rather than the entire city bus network. The supplied reports do not specify whether the feature will be expanded or made permanent.
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Society
Second-Round Kindergarten Registration Closes September 11
Published: 2026-09-10
The second round of online registration for kindergartens in Ulaanbaatar closes at 23:59 on September 11. Applications opened through the E-Mongolia platform on September 3. The round is available to children who missed the first registration period, have a temporary-residence address, or have moved residence. Parents and guardians must submit applications electronically through E-Mongolia. The General Education Department said no further supplementary kindergarten registration will be held after this round. The deadline applies to applications for children seeking placement in the capital city’s kindergarten system, including those whose address registration or relocation changed after the initial registration period. The reports do not state when placement results will be announced.
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Rights Commission Flags Overcrowding and Enrollment Barriers in Schools
Published: 2026-09-10
The National Human Rights Commission said the new school year has again exposed barriers to children’s education, particularly for families registered at temporary addresses. It said schools and local authorities sometimes require property-related documents when setting catchment areas, risking discrimination and preventing children from enrolling or attending during the first weeks of classes. The Commission also warned that publishing children’s sensitive personal information can endanger their safety and increase their risk of becoming victims of crime or violations. In Ulaanbaatar, the Commission reported that schools in redevelopment areas and outlying districts have classes of 60 to 70 pupils, rent private premises, and lack classroom equipment. It said agencies should use existing population, address and birth data to plan school and kindergarten capacity in advance.
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Police Warn of Rent-to-Own Housing Registration Scam
Published: 2026-09-10
Police have warned residents about fraudsters claiming they can secure places in rent-to-own public housing registrations without waiting in line. The scams reportedly use the names of employees of the State Housing Corporation and seek payment from applicants. Police said registration for the first project, the Solongo 1 and 2 residential complexes with 2,040 homes, will open through the E-Mongolia system on October 1, 2026. They advised applicants not to transfer money to anyone who presents themselves as a corporation employee or official and promises enrollment in the program. Police said information on rent-to-own housing should be obtained through the State Housing Corporation’s official website, tosk.gov.mn. The warning concerns the registration process.
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Young People Account for Nearly 60% of Citizens Living Abroad
Published: 2026-09-10
Mongolia’s 2025 intercensal population and housing census counted 201,350 citizens living abroad. The reported increase was not evenly distributed across age groups, but was concentrated among young people and people of working age. People aged 15 to 39 accounted for 59.5% of Mongolian citizens living abroad in 2025. The source linked growth among those aged 15 to 19 to increased migration abroad for education, while growth among people aged 55 and older also remained comparatively high. The gender ratio rose from 86.3 men per 100 women in 2020 to 86.6 in 2025. Men aged 0 to 19 had a higher gender ratio, while the share of women aged 20 and above increased, particularly among working-age women.
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Environment
Published: 2026-09-10
The government approved compensation for herders whose livestock were culled to contain the SAT-1 strain of foot-and-mouth disease in Bayan-Ulgii and Khovd provinces. At its September 9 meeting, the cabinet reviewed the outbreak and the response presented by Deputy Prime Minister and National Emergency Commission chair N. Nomtoibayar. In Bayan-Ulgii, 2,764 animals were culled in Altai, Deluun, Tsengel and Ulgii soums, with a market valuation of MNT 4.756 billion. Compensation is set at 90 percent, or MNT 4.280 billion. In Khovd, 1,391 animals were culled in Bulgan, Uench and Altai soums; their value was MNT 1.989 billion and compensation totals MNT 1.790 billion. Combined compensation for 4,155 animals is MNT 6.070 billion. Authorities were instructed to continue surveillance, disinfection and control measures.
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Government Bans Pine Nut Harvest to Preserve Food for Wildlife
Published: 2026-09-10
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has banned household and commercial collection of pine nuts for 2026 after surveys found a poor harvest and shortages of food for wildlife. Officials said pine nuts are an important food source for brown bears, squirrels, and chipmunks, and that this year’s yield is below the 40 percent normally left for wildlife. Authorities have reported more than 10 brown bear incursions into settled areas this year and issued instructions to provinces including Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Khentii, Khuvsgul, Zavkhan, and Uvs. Local teams were instructed to address carcasses and waste, provide public information, and return bears to forest areas. Illegal collection, transport, storage, processing, sale, or purchase can be referred to police and may carry fines, travel restrictions, or prison terms.
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COP17 Commitments Target $1.2 Billion for 45 Ecosystem Projects
Published: 2026-09-10
Mongolia says commitments made during COP17 could mobilize $1.4 billion for green projects and programs, following the UN Convention to Combat Desertification conference held from August 17 to 28. Environment and Climate Change Minister Ts. Sandag-Ochir said the total combines signed and announced agreements, memorandums, and financing pledges. The conference also created a possibility for $400 million in cooperation on reducing Ulaanbaatar air pollution, renewable energy, and expanding green spaces. Separately, Mongolia’s Pastureland Leadership Initiative is to invest $1.2 billion in 45 ecosystem projects. Up to $400 million in financing is planned for water resources, farming, agriculture, restoration, and drought resilience. A $1.3 billion package for pastureland and land-restoration projects is to be implemented in 23 countries.
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Published: 2026-09-10
A SAT-1 strain outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has infected 2,092 livestock in Dornod and Sukhbaatar provinces: 1,879 in Dornod and 213 in Sukhbaatar. The first clusters were identified in Dashbalbar and Choibalsankhoroot soums of Dornod on August 20-21; a suspected case in Sukhbaatar soum was reported on August 22 and confirmed on August 24. Authorities linked the Sukhbaatar outbreak to livestock moved from Dashbalbar. No infected animals have been culled. Veterinary authorities have vaccinated 44,882 animals, imposed movement controls and quarantine zones, and conducted disinfection. Sukhbaatar has recorded no new cases since August 27, while surveillance and vaccination continue in Dornod, where transmission remains active within the outbreak area.
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Favorable Weather Raises Harvest Outlook, but Farmers Flag Rising Costs
Published: 2026-09-10
The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry projects an autumn grain harvest of 555,300 tonnes, including 497,100 tonnes of wheat. It separately projects 168,200 tonnes of potatoes, 218,400 tonnes of vegetables, 50,400 tonnes of oil crops and 201,800 tonnes of animal feed. The ministry expects domestic production to meet all wheat and potato demand and about 70 percent of vegetable demand. Good summer conditions in Selenge and Darkhan-Uul have supported the outlook, although producers in parts of Tuv Province report drought after Naadam and lower expected yields. Farmers also cite sharply higher diesel costs, which they say may raise crop prices. The government plans to reserve 100,000 tonnes of food wheat and has sought parliamentary financing to store 12,000 tonnes of potatoes and vegetables. Forecasters warn of wet snow and a sharp cold spell in farming areas late this month or early October.
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Innovation
South Korean Grant Backs Nationwide Digital Address System
Published: 2026-09-10
South Korea will provide up to USD 8 million in grant funding for Mongolia’s 2026-29 project to digitize and standardize address information. The project will pilot updated address and geospatial data in Chingeltei and Sukhbaatar districts before expanding elsewhere. It aims to link constantly updated address records with government systems and make them usable by emergency services, postal delivery, taxis, transport, logistics and other location-based services. The unified system already covers 21 provinces and 330 soums, with 202,000 buildings, 767,000 land units, 37,000 streets, 222,000 roads and 628,000 entrances recorded. Mapping in Ulaanbaatar’s nine districts has registered 516,000 land units and 318,000 building entrances. The program also plans a navigation-map database for public and private use.
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Lawmaker Challenges First-Grade Orientation Plan as Textbooks Remain in Production
Published: 2026-09-10
Parliament member P. Naranbayar questioned the revised first-grade curriculum at a September 9 meeting of the Standing Committee on Human Development and Social Policy, saying first-grade pupils lacked textbooks and were using a workbook titled “I Have Become a Student.” Education Ministry State Secretary T. Nyam-Ochir said the curriculum for grades one through five was revised and approved in February 2026. Under the first-grade plan, the first month is intended to help pupils adjust to school. The first one to two weeks are for becoming familiar with the school and class community; the third week covers “I Have Become a Student,” and the fourth covers “I Can Learn.” Nyam-Ochir said work to write and print textbooks under the new content is continuing.
“What does it mean for first graders to spend a week getting familiar with their school?” - P. Naranbayar (gogo.mn)
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Health
Health Insurance Agency Plans to Expand Discounted Medicine List
Published: 2026-09-10
The Health Insurance General Agency is working to revise the list of discounted medicines, which currently includes 669 products, Director Ts. Batbaatar said. The agency reviewed customs, tax and e-receipt data to compare import prices, retail prices, and markups by suppliers and pharmacies. About 900,000 people receive discounted medicines annually, while patients pay about 40 percent of total costs themselves, according to the agency. Batbaatar said seven in 10 recipients face financial risk because of medicine expenses. The agency is working toward including medicines imported from 38 countries with stringent regulatory systems and plans laboratory quality testing. It has proposed roughly MNT 50 billion in additional funding for the discount policy in the 2027 budget. Cardiovascular and blood-pressure medicines make up most discounted medicines, and about 420,000 people use this type of medicine.
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UBTZ Central Hospital Offers Paid Seasonal Flu Vaccinations
Published: 2026-09-10
UBTZ Central Hospital began voluntary seasonal influenza vaccinations on September 1 using the South Korean-made SkyCellflu quadrivalent vaccine. The hospital is offering the vaccine from 08:00 to 15:00 through online registration for MNT 65,000 at its infectious-disease clinic; 45 people had been vaccinated by September 8. The vaccine contains strains recommended for the 2026-2027 season and is available to people aged six months and older, including people with egg allergies, subject to a doctor’s assessment. Nationwide, quadrivalent flu vaccines are being provided free to target groups and voluntarily to others before the cold season. The hospital advises people to disclose allergies and their vaccination history. Vaccination is deferred for people with acute infectious illness and fever above 38C, while people with a previous severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccine should not receive it.
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Nationwide School and Kindergarten Health Screenings Planned for 2026-2027 Academic Year
Published: 2026-09-10
The Ministry of Health plans nationwide preventive and early-detection health screenings in kindergartens and general education schools during the 2026-2027 academic year. Two supplied reports state that screenings will begin on October 1 and continue through December 1, while another says the nationwide program will start before October 1. The program will assess children in stages according to age and development. Pediatricians from all 21 provinces and Ulaanbaatar’s nine districts have been trained as instructors for the school-based program. Screenings will cover growth and development, visual acuity and vision assessment, electrocardiogram-based evaluations, spinal curvature and flat feet. They will also assess risks of developmental delay and autism spectrum disorders, while adolescents will receive mental-health risk assessments. The initiative is designed as a comprehensive preventive health assessment rather than a single-condition examination.
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Robotic Surgery Training Center Opens at Medical University
Published: 2026-09-10
The clinical skills center at the School of Medicine of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences has been expanded into a robotic surgery training center and formally launched. The center will provide simulation-based team training for surgeons, resident doctors, nurses and other health professionals, building skills in robotic surgical technology. Specialists described the facility as an important step toward developing advanced robotic surgery and preparing qualified personnel domestically. Robotic technology was first introduced at the Mongolia-Japan Hospital in 2023 through an initiative of the university’s Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics. At that time, doctors worked with specialists from South Korea’s CUREXO to perform robot-assisted knee replacement surgery on five patients. Mongolian doctors have since begun performing the procedure themselves.
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