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Wednesday, April 27, 2016
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ASEM 11
9th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership's Declaration
ASEM hotel managers being trained
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) A training commenced Tuesday at the "Blue Sky" hotel for managers of hotels that will shelter guests of the 11th ASEM Summit.
The training has been co-organized by the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism, a working group for ASEM Summit on accommodation affairs, and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Some 150 managers are taking lessons on methodology of running international meetings and on organization of services for high level guests and officials, conducted by five S.Korean instructors.
A head of the Presidential Office and chair of the working group on accommodation affairs P.Tsagaan said a quality is one of the most important factors of successful organization of the ASEM Summit. "This training is focusing not only on ways of strengthening potential of hotels, but also on boosting of a development of Mongolian tourism and hotel service industries," he said.
Present at the opening ceremony were D.Gankhuyag, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chair of the preparation commission; Ts.Tsengel, State Secretary of the Environment, Green Development and Tourism; and Park Seon-young, the KOICA Country-director for Mongolia.
The training will end this April 29.
Training Commences for ASEM Volunteers
April 26 (gogo.mn) Volunteers up to 1500 youths, students from some 20 universities, and representatives of children's organizations & rotary clubs are signed up for the organizing volunteer works for the upcoming 11th ASEM and its side events.
The volunteers are divided into 24 groups, and each group consists of 50 volunteers. "Basic Training" course commenced on April 25 for the first 4 groups. The training will be delivered based on game method, and it will give generic knowledges on ASEM operation, volunteering works, along with how to work in team.
The training is being facilitated by specialized trainers from "Dudu" education foundation which is also implementing international programme "Teamwork & Team play".
Basic training will conclude on May 10, followed by orientation training on number of subjects such as international relations & diplomacy, diplomatic protocols, ceremony and requirements for volunteers etc.
Orientation training is to be delivered by senior diplomats who is part of ASEM preparation working group and Ministry of Foreign affairs, also they will organize activities involving study tours in historical sites in UB to give knowledge and experience to young volunteers in order for them to work as guide, information officers.
Some 50 volunteers successfully took part in the recent ASEP9 which was held in April 21-23. The organizing authority for these volunteers resides at Mongolian Children Palace and students who underwent training will have distinguishing clothing, signs.
MMC: BNP, ICBC Demand Immediate Payment of $95.4 Million Outstanding
April 27 -- This announcement (the "Announcement") is made by Mongolian Mining Corporation (the "Company") pursuant to Rule 13.09(2) and Rule 13.19 of the Rules Governing the Listing of the Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Long Limited (the "Listing Rules") and the Inside Information Provisions under Part XIVA of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong).
Reference is made to the announcement of the Company dated 5 March 2014 and the 2014 annual report in relation to the facilities agreement, as amended from time to time (the "BNP/ICBC Facilities Agreement"), dated 5 March 2014 entered into by the Company as borrower with, amongst others, BNP Paribas Hong Kong Branch as agent (the "Agent") and security agent (the "Security Agent"), BNP Paribas Singapore branch and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited as lenders (collectively, the "Lenders").
Reference is also made to the announcement dated 23 March 2016 and the 2015 annual report of the Company that an event of default under the BNP/ICBC Facilities Agreement has taken place.
Reference is also made to the announcement of the Company dated 23 March 2012 in relation to the issuance of the US$600,000,000 8.875% senior notes due 2017 issued by the Company (the "Notes"). An intercreditor agreement (as amended from time to time, the "Intercreditor Agreement") was entered into between the Company, certain of its subsidiaries, the original lender under the BNP/ICBC Facilities Agreement, the trustee of the Notes and the shared security agent thereunder (the "Shared Security Agent") with respect to the collateral over the capital stock of Mongolia Coal Corporation Limited ("MCCL") under a share charge between the Shared Security Agent and the Company (the "MCCL Share Charge") and the collateral over the capital stock of Mongolian Coal Corporation S.à.r.l. ("MCCS") under a pledge over shares agreement between the Shared Security Agent and MCCL (the "MCCS Share Pledge").
On 26 April 2016, the Company received (i) a notice from the Agent on acceleration and demand of the BNP/ICBC Facilities Agreement (the "Acceleration Notice"), and (ii) a notice from the Shared Security Agent on enforcement under the Intercreditor Agreement (the "Enforcement Notice").
Under the Acceleration Notice, the Agent makes demand for immediate payment of all amounts accrued or outstanding under the BNP/ICBC Facilities Agreement of US$95,433,943.90. As such, all such amounts are immediately due and payable.
Under the Enforcement Notice, the Shared Security Agent, as instructed by the Security Agent, has (i) enforced the security granted pursuant to the MCCL Share Charge and appointed certain persons from FTI Consulting as the receivers over such collateral (the "Receivers"), and (ii) appointed the same group of persons from FTI Consulting as its delegates in respect to the security granted pursuant to the MCCS Share Pledge.
MCCL, as the sole intermediary holding company below the Company, directly and indirectly owns the capital stock of all other subsidiaries of the Company.
The Company intends to maintain dialogue with the Lenders, the Receivers and their respective advisers.
The Company will publish further announcements to update the shareholders and potential investors the progress as and when necessary.
Oyu Tolgoi Expansion Capex May Fall to $4 Billion: Deutsche Bank
By David Stringer
April 26 (Bloomberg) -- Hugo North Lift 1 expansion may cost less than earlier $4.9b estimate, bank analysts led by Sydney-based Paul Young write in a note dated April 26.
* Hugo North Lift 1 likely to be cheaper as result of industry wide reduction in capex, while a Hugo North Lift 2 may cost abt $2.5b
* At full production by '25, project will have a break-even copper price of $1.1/lb
* With production from Indonesia's Grasberg, Rio will double copper output to abt 1.1mt/yr next decade
* Co. could raise stake in Oyu Tolgoi by increasing interest in Turquoise Hill
* Mine could support 2nd, $4b u'ground expansion phase to exploit Hugo South, Heruga deposits
* NOTE: Co. in March named Jean-Sebastien Jacques, who completed talks on Oyu Tolgoi expansion's financing, next CEO.
* NOTE: Rio-controlled Turquoise Hill Resources owns 66% of Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia's state-owned Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC holds the remaining share\
(BFW)
MSE Trading Report: Top 20 -1.06%, ALL -0.42%, Turnover ₮13.6 Million Shares, ₮10.3 Million T-Bills
April 26 (MSE) --
Historic low ₮2,050.85/USD set March 28, 2016. Reds are rates that set a new low at the time
BoM MNT Rates: Tuesday, April 26 Close
4/26 | 4/25 | 4/22 | 4/21 | 4/20 | 4/19 | 4/18 | 4/15 | 4/14 | 4/13 | 4/12 | 4/11 | 4/8 | 4/7 | 4/6 | ||
| USD | 1,996.79 | 1,996.27 | 1,980.38 | 1,982.67 | 1,978.39 | 1,986.24 | 1,992.39 | 2,005.08 | 2,008.46 | 2,013.15 | 2,020.04 | 2,023.91 | 2,026.93 | 2,032.89 | 2,042.75 |
| EUR | 2,248.88 | 2,243.51 | 2,234.26 | 2,240.32 | 2,247.65 | 2,250.41 | 2,249.41 | 2,257.52 | 2,258.71 | 2,285.13 | 2,306.89 | 2,310.29 | 2,301.07 | 2,326.13 | 2,320.56 |
| JPY | 18.02 | 17.94 | 17.92 | 18.08 | 18.17 | 18.24 | 18.45 | 18.34 | 18.35 | 18.49 | 18.64 | 18.77 | 18.64 | 18.69 | 18.51 |
| GBP | 2,896.74 | 2,880.42 | 2,841.45 | 2,844.54 | 2,842.95 | 2,843.10 | 2,817.34 | 2,839.59 | 2,833.33 | 2,864.31 | 2,880.38 | 2,861.40 | 2,851.18 | 2,869.53 | 2,887.43 |
| RUB | 30.00 | 30.06 | 29.90 | 30.59 | 29.80 | 30.19 | 29.12 | 30.27 | 30.16 | 30.49 | 30.34 | 30.17 | 30.02 | 30.04 | 29.79 |
| CNY | 307.38 | 306.86 | 305.03 | 306.18 | 305.95 | 306.96 | 307.49 | 309.33 | 309.66 | 311.28 | 312.38 | 312.97 | 312.81 | 314.47 | 315.36 |
| KRW | 1.73 | 1.74 | 1.73 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.73 | 1.75 | 1.74 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.77 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.77 |
| SGD | 1,474.08 | 1,475.49 | 1,466.51 | 1,474.05 | 1,474.43 | 1,477.42 | 1,466.45 | 1,474.43 | 1,470.43 | 1,493.82 | 1,501.33 | 1,504.54 | 1,500.98 | 1,508.30 | 1,508.79 |
| CAD | 1,575.63 | 1,573.91 | 1,555.07 | 1,568.94 | 1,556.68 | 1,557.10 | 1,534.61 | 1,566.04 | 1,557.67 | 1,571.12 | 1,566.71 | 1,558.17 | 1,547.81 | 1,559.80 | 1,554.66 |
| AUD | 1,538.73 | 1,540.82 | 1,532.91 | 1,548.56 | 1,540.77 | 1,547.58 | 1,523.78 | 1,547.82 | 1,534.87 | 1,539.56 | 1,543.21 | 1,529.27 | 1,528.41 | 1,547.54 | 1,545.54 |
| HKD | 257.44 | 257.35 | 255.28 | 255.58 | 255.06 | 256.09 | 256.90 | 258.50 | 258.91 | 259.56 | 260.46 | 260.89 | 261.30 | 262.09 | 263.35 |
| CHF | 2,045.89 | 2,043.37 | 2,029.60 | 2,042.83 | 2,057.61 | 2,062.77 | 2,061.77 | 2,071.90 | 2,075.71 | 2,100.53 | 2,120.78 | 2,124.06 | 2,116.79 | 2,134.27 | 2,130.75 |
Bank USD rates at time of sending: TDB (Buy ₮1,998 Sell ₮2,008), Khan (Buy ₮1,998 Sell ₮2,008), Golomt (Buy ₮1,998 Sell ₮2,008), XacBank (Buy ₮1,998 Sell ₮2,009), State Bank (Buy ₮1,998 Sell ₮2,008)
MNT vs USD (blue), CNY (red) in last 1 year:
BoM sells CNY20m at ₮307.2, accepts US$53m MNT swap offers
April 26 (BoM) On the Foreign Exchange Auction held on April 26th, 2016, the BOM sold CNY 20.0 million in a rate with MNT 307.20.
On April 26th, 2016, the BOM accepted the MNT swap agreement buying bid offers and sold USD 53.0 million to local commercial banks.
Subsidized Mortgage Report: ₮56.6 Billion Issued at 5%, ₮169.7 Billion at 8%, ₮23.9 Billion Transferred to 5%
April 26 (Bank of Mongolia) As of April 22 banks received ₮276.4 billion (₮245.2 billion as of April 15) mortgage requests of 4,479 citizens (3,966 as of April 15), of which ₮56.6 billion (₮47 billion as April 15) of 1,205 citizens (996 as of April 15) have been approved at 5%, ₮169.7 billion (₮144.6 billion as of April 15) of 2,548 citizens (2,191 as of April 8) at 8%.
Also, ₮23.9 billion mortgages (₮23.4 billion as of April 15) of 587 borrowers (573 as of April 8) who bought housing in Ulaanbaatar ger area redevelopment zones, satellite districts Baganuur, Bagakhangai, and Nalaikh, new capital housing zones, and 21 aimags have been transferred to 5%.
Link to release (in Mongolian)
Standing committee backs $1 billion credit agreement with India
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) The parliamentary Standing committee on budget discussed Tuesday a matter on consulting a credit agreement to be established between the governments of Mongolia and India. A majority backed this credit agreement.
As known, during his state visit to Mongolia May 16-17 of 2015, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi expressed a readiness to grant Mongolia a loan of one billion US dollars, with aims to help promote our social-economic development and tackle challenges. Later, a working group was set up to offer India projects and programs that can receive money from this loan. In March of this year, our government discussed with India the credit terms and its procedure. By the agreement's general terms, the 20-year soft loan has an interest of 1.75% per year, the first five years the Mongolian side will not pay the loan's basic payment.
The same day, the Standing committee carried out first discussions of draft amendments to the laws on VAT, on budget, customs tariff and tax.
Mongolia welcomes 1.9 million newborn livestock last week
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) By this April 25, 12.1 million mother animals (50.3 percent) have given birth, and 11.9 million heads of newborn livestock are alive and well, reports the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. This indicates a growth in number of the newborn animals by 1.9 million.
Among them are, 34.2 thousand baby camels, 103.2 thousand colts, 309.9 thousand calves, 6.2 million lambs, and 5.2 million goatlings. A survival rate is 92.7 percent.
A total loss of livestock reached 931.4 thousand heads, increasing 27.0 thousand against last week. In specific, 325 camels, 34.2 thousand horses, 90.5 thousand cows, 334.6 thousand sheep and 471.7 thousand goats have been lost. These animals made up 5.4 percent of all livestock counted in the beginning of 2016.
The largest numbers of the livestock lost are counted in Sukhbaatar, Uvs, Arkhangai, Zavkhan and Bayankhongor provinces.
Raw cashmere prices recover to ₮68,000/kg, up 24% from 2015 high
April 26 (news.mn) This year, the price of cashmere has increased to MNT 68,000 per kilogram; last year, the highest was MNT 55,000.
In recent 2-3 years, herders have experienced difficulty in paying their children's study fees and the "herders' loan". Cash was scarce. As spring arrives, the rise of the cashmere price has begun to affect the income of the herding households in a positive way. The top priority for herders is now to settle their bank loans.
Foreign travelers to Mongolia decline 10.4% in Q1, tourists down 7.9%
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) In the first quarter of this year, 1,033.4 thousand passengers (duplicated counting) entered borders of Mongolia, indicating an increase of 82.0 thousand or 8.6% against the previous year.
33.2% of the people entered into state borders passed through the Zamyn-Uud border checkpoint, 20.7%--through Altanbulag, 14.7%--through the "Buyant-Ukhaa" international airport, 6.8%--through Gashuunsukhait, 5.6%--through Shiveekhuren, and 19.0--through other border checkpoints.
In the period, 63.6 thousand foreigners entered into Mongolian borders, declining by 7.4 thousand or 10.4% against the same period of previous year. 74.1% of them traveled here for up to 30 days, 2.7%--up to 90 days, 23.2%--for 90 days or more.
Majority of foreign passengers (77.9%) went to Mongolia for tourism, which shows a decline of 7.9% against the previous year. 14.0 thousand or 22.1% of the foreigners were in Mongolia for employment, studying and permanent residence.
In first three months of 2016, the number of tourists from North Korea increased by 64.4%, Vietnam--by 24.4%, New Zealand--by 23.3%, Canada--by 15.2%, India--by 11.3%, Japan--by 5.0%, USA--by 3.3%, the Philippines--by 3.1%, and Russia--by 2.4%, whereas the number of tourists from Italy declined by 26.1%, Hong Kong--by 26.0%, China--by 18.6% and Ukraine--by 15.1%, against the same period of the previous year.
As dividing into continents, 67.2% of the foreigners passed the state borders were from East Asia and Pacific regions, 27.4%--from Europe, 4.0%--from America, and 1.4%--from Middle-East, South Asia and Africa.
47.0% of the foreigners passed the state borders in the quarter were people from China, 21.3%--from Russia, 9.2%--from South Korea, 3.8%--from Japan, 3.3%--from Kazakhstan, 3.0%--from USA, and 12.4%--from other countries.
In the period, 454.4 thousand Mongolians (duplicated counting) visited abroad. 391.6 thousand or 86.2% of them travelled foreign countries for personal works. In addition, 387.4 thousand vehicles (duplicated counting) passed through state borders, increasing by 17.8 thousand or 4.8% against the previous year. 34.0% of them were trucks, 22.9%--freight trains, 40.9%--cars, and 2.2%--other transportation vehicles.
85.5% of the total vehicles passed through the Zamyn-Uud, Gashuunsukhait, Sukhbaatar, Altanbulag and Shiveekhuren border checkpoints.
DP accepts Constitutional Court decision saying 28 party list MPs are illegal
April 26 (news.mn) A certain Ts.Namsrai has contacted the Constitutional Court and stated that: "To select 28 members of parliament from the party list is a violation of the constitution". Therefore, on 22nd April, the Constitutional Court has discussed and accepted the report. The 5thConstitutional Court has concluded that this is indeed a breach of the constitution.
On Monday, the Democratic Party Group in Parliament discussed this issue. Even though, the DP did not provide official information, a source has said that the majority of group has agreed to accept the decision of the Constitutional Court.
Standing Committee accepts Constitutional Court decision on 28 party list MPs
April 26 (news.mn) Today, the State Structure Standing Committee discussed the 5th protocol of the Constitutional Court, which the majority accepted in a vote. The 5th protocol by the middle tier of the Constitutional Court considers that: "Appointing 28 Members of Parliament from the 76 on the party list is violating the Constitution".
A total of 11 members participated in vote, including MP's M.Batchimeg, Su.Batbold and Kh.Temuujin and S.Demberel rejecting the 5th protocol. Those who accepted the protocol, by pressing the other button were the MP's, A.Bakei, L.Tsog, D.Lundeejantsan, G.Batkhuu, S.Bayartsogt and Ts.Dashdorj.
Cabinet backs bill exempting bus manufacturers from customs and VAT
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) The cabinet meeting on April 25 backed in principle a draft law on exemption from customs tax and VAT. It will be submitted to parliament, reflecting proposals of Ministers.
Mongolia imports some 2,000 units of public transportation vehicles a year. As estimated, 100-150 vehicles could be assembled in Mongolia, so the draft says about freeing the domestic companies, engaged in vehicles matters, from the above taxes. This would reduce money spent for productions by 15%, contributing thus to boosting of a competitiveness in the national market.
As of today, this or that entity, which deals with a yearly production of 20 buses, pays 834 million Togrog for the customs tax and VAT. If the law comes into force, Mongolia will raise VAT of over 6 billion Togrog, improve related staffers, create some 220 jobs, introduce progressive techniques and technologies.
Cabinet to submit bill on basic guidelines for 2017 social-economic development
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) At its meeting on Monday, the cabinet discussed draft basic guidelines for 2017 social-economic development of Mongolia and decided to submit them to parliament after having reflected in it some proposals.
The guidelines highlight all policies and measures aimed at realizing goals of the Concept on Sustainable Development of Mongolia-2030, at ensuring national economic growth, keeping inflation rate at a lower and stable level, running reforms in the budget policy, maintaining deficit-free budget, reducing unemployment rate by augmenting jobs, and at supporting growth of industries.
The guidelines would keep the national economic growth by ensuring the economic stability in 2017 within the macro-economic policy in times of price fall of raw material at the world market, also keep the inflation rate within 5-7%, and maximize a reserve of foreign currencies by reducing a deficit in current accounts.
Cabinet to Submit Bill on Protecting Domestic Industries from Dumping
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) The cabinet on April 25 resolved to submit a Bill on Dumping to the State Great Khural (parliament) and told the Minister of Industry D.Erdenebat to present the draft law.
If adopted, the law would provide the legal grounds that enable Mongolia do trades in a full consistency with the General Agreement on Tariff and Trades (1994) of the World Trade Organization and international agreements of Mongolia with other subjects.
The law is also expected to help monitoring agencies to improve their actions for protecting the domestic industries from dumping.
Dumping, in international trade, is the export by a country or company of a product at a price that is lower in the foreign market than the price charged in the domestic market. As dumping usually involves substantial export volumes of the product, it often has the effect of endangering the financial viability of manufacturers or producers of the product in the importing nation. Dumping is also a colloquial term that refers to the act of offloading a stock with little regard for its price.
Cabinet Approves $50,000 Donation to Japan
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) The cabinet meeting on April 25 backed the 2017 budget framework of the master budget of Mongolia and a bill on 2018-2019 budget, and then decided to submit them to parliament.
- Obligations were given to M.Zorigt, the Minister of Road and Transportation; D.Zorigt, the Minister of Energy; Z.Bayanselenge, the Minister of Construction and Urban Development; and to E.Bat-Uul, the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar city, to implement a construction of the "Mongolian Naadam" national complex, in several phases and in accordance with a general plan.
- The Minister of Finance B.Bolor was authorized to issue 50 thousand US dollars to donate them to Japan as a humanitarian aid. As known, Japan's Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures suffered huge damage of properties and a loss of people's lives due to devastating earthquakes.
- The cabinet backed a concept of the law on import/export labor force and professionals. The Minister of Labor G.Bayarsaikhan and the Minster of Justice D.Dorligjav were told to approve the concept and to work out a draft law.
Change of residency address closes April 30 ahead of elections
April 26 (news.mn) In order to be on the electoral register and vote on 29th June, people cannot change their address in the final sixty day period. In other words, if someone plans to move and to vote, they should change their address prior to 30th April.
Information for voters can be found at www.burtgel.gov.mn. Currently, basic information on Mongolia's 2,004,048 eligible voters is located to this website. People need to check that the information about them is correct. If it is wrong, they must remove it and update it and contact their local branch of the Registration and Statistics Department.
Post and Communications Sector Q1 Revenue Falls 1.2% from 2015 - Statistics
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) In the first quarter of this year, revenue from the post and communication industries reached MNT 169.1 billion, declining MNT 2.1 billion or 1.2% against the previous year.
Revenue from post and communication services for individuals reached MNT 119.6 billion in the first three months of this year, showing a decrease of MNT 10.9 billion or 8.4% against the previous year, and the amount of the revenue from individuals accounted for 70.7% in total income, declining 5.5 points.
In the period, the number of landline telephones reached 251.5 thousand units in the first quarter of 2016, increasing by 16.4 units or 7.0 nationwide. The increase of landline telephone users is mostly caused by an increasing number of users of triple service providers.
The number of cable TV users reached in the first quarter of 2016, increasing by 31.0 thousand or 8.9%.
In the period, the industry of postage service delivered 206.4 thousand documents and letters, 28.8 thousand units of parcel, and 1806.9 thousand units of periodical press. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the size of delivered documents and letters declined by 94.7 thousand or 31.5%, periodical press--by 430 thousand or 19.2%, whereas the size of delivered parcels increased by 2.6 thousand or 10.0%.
The number of cellular phone users reached 3464.2 thousand (duplicated counting) in the first quarter of 2016, declining by 59.3 thousand or 1.7% against the previous year.
Shangri-La Asia Annual Report 2015:
April 26, Shangri-La Asia Ltd. (HKEx:69) --
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Discussion and Analysis
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The newly opened Shangri-La Hotel, Ulaanbaatar (Mogi: Shangri-La owns 51% of the hotel) in Mongolia registered an average room rate of US$182 with occupancy of 28% since its opening in June 2015.
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Over 4,000 families expected to move to apartments this year under ger area redevelopment
Ulaanbaatar, April 26 (MONTSAME) With the past two years, a total of 2,100 people from 500 ger-area households have replaced their yards of ger (national dwelling) and other small houses with housing apartments in Ulaanbaatar. The UB city is planning to commission 4,044 family apartments this year.
In the margin of a project on the ger-area re-structuring, 58 selected project executors have been erecting apartments in 22 locations. Out of the planned housing apartments for 7,374 families, 588 were commissioned in 2014 and 1,656--in 2015.
New branches of Capital Public Service Center opens at Misheel Expo and Dragon Center
April 26 (gogo.mn) In hopes to reduce Capital Public Service Center (CPSC) workloads and engage more citizens, the new branch offices of CPSC are now test running at Songinokhairkhan and Khan-Uul districts.
Dragon CPSC office has capacity to serve 6720 people and gathered 22 city and rural administration bodies to provide 287 different services. The office processes all issues related land, in order to create centralized land section. Official opening ceremony will take place in May 4.
Misheel PSC office has capacity to serve 4800 people and gathered 22 city and rural administration bodies to provide 287 different services. The office works in hopes to provide centralized construction information and will launch Misheel construction store at Misheel Expo. Official opening is scheduled on May 2. Time table on weekdays 08:00 - 20:00, Saturday 10:00 - 16:00, reports the Capital City Governor's Office Public Relations Department.
Measles outbreak: 62 dead, 300,000 to be vaccinated
April 26 (news.mn) Because of the current measles outbreak, the Ulaanbaatar City Health Authority is planning to vaccinate 300,000 people with a measles (rubella) vaccination; they confirmed that the majority of these will be children and students in higher education. It is being requested that the directors of colleges, institutes and universities should authorize active voluntary vaccination of students. The vaccination sites will be announced next week.
The following statistics shows the seriousness of the incidence of measles which began last year:
-In 2001, 10677 cases, 7 deaths
-In 2002, 2015 cases, 3 deaths
-In 2003, 18 cases, 0 deaths
-In 2004-2005, 0 cases, 0 deaths
-In 2006-2009, 72 cases, 0 deaths
-In 2010-2014, 0 cases, 0 deaths
-In 2015, 23464 cases, 8 deaths
-In 2016 /until 1st week of April/, 15540 cases and 62 deaths /0.3%/.
According to Sh.Enkhbat, the director of the UB City Health Administration: "All members of staff at the Ministry of Health, the health authorities and district and family hospitals are working as hard as possible. Currently, the measles outbreak has stabilized".
11th Assembly of International Mongolist Scholars to Be Held in August
April 26 (gogo.mn) Regular session of the Government has decided to hold the 11th Assembly of international Mongolist scholars in Ulaanbaatar on Aug 15-18 under the topic of "Mongolian studies and sustainable development".
The assembly is organized once every five years and it will be conducted under the auspices of the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj.
During the assembly, Mongolist scholars to discuss the achievements and progresses in Mongolian studies. Previously, more than 250 scholars from 25 countries while 100 domestic scholars have attended. This year over 400 both international and domestic scholars are expected to attend.
Related:
Next Congress of Mongolists expected in August – Montsame, April 26
XI International Congress of Mongolists – news.mn, April 26
Traditional dishes to try in Mongolia
April 26 (gogo.mn) Mongolia is the country for meat lovers. We eat meat almost whole year due to we have harsh weather condition which has affected the traditional diet. Mongols mainly eat beef, mutton, horse meat and goat meat. It is popular to eat horse meat during the extremely cold Mongolian winter due to its low cholesterol. Traditionally, people think horse meat helps them warm up..
However, Mongols prefer not to eat meat at late or during the summer. If you visit herder family, you will notice that they eat dinner at around 5pm to 6pm and drink yogurt or boiled milk before they go to sleep. Meat is mostly cooked or used in soups. Spices and vegetables are not served often in the nomadic family.
In recent years, families living in cities realize that eating too much meat is unhealthy especially for those who are not working outdoors.
Therefore the food and meal serving in the countryside and city is quite different. Modern families in cities focus on healthy food by eating different types of vegetables and vegan food. You can find all vegetables from every corner of UB city while there are plenty of vegan restaurants which have really good choices in a country of meat lovers.
We deliver you the some traditional dishes which can be found only in Mongolia.
BUUZ
Buuz is a type of Mongolian steamed dumpling filled with meat. The dish is traditionally served on most public winter holidays including Tsagaan Sar and New Year Celebration. Buuz is prepared in weeks before and left outside to freeze for a while to make it easier to store.
It is also offered at all restaurants and small cafes in Ulaanbaatar. Ingredient of buuz is very simple, it includes flour, meat, onion, salt, cumin and warm water. The dough can be filled with anything from savory meats to vegetables, cheese, fruits or even seafood.
Buuz is considered as fast food in Mongolia and you can find it every canteens, cafes and restaurants. Also you can buy frozen buuz from supermarkets to steam it at your home.
HUUSHUUR
Huushuur is a kind of dumpling which fried in hot oil. It is easy to make, tasty because it is deep fried, easy to pack into paper or foil paper and is very portable. Also it can be done with any ingredient of desire and even vegans can adapt the traditional meat recipe into vegan huushuur with stuffing with their favorite vegetables, easy to fill the stomach.
Huushur is also fast food of Mongolia. You can find it almost every canteens, cafes and restaurants as well as it sold at every roads to the countryside in the summer.
HORHOG
Horhog is barbecue dish in Mongolian cuisine. Horhog is made by cooking pieces of meat inside a container which also contains hot stones and water, and is often also heated from the outside. It is made with mutton, vegetables, pepper and salt.
Horhog is cooked in an aluminum can with hot stones. When the sheep turns to stew the horhog is done. The hot stones are removed then given to all of the people who are going to eat the horhog and they roll the hot greasy stones in their palms and fingers. Mongolians believe that if you roll or hold the stone that it is good for your health. They believe that the the heat and the grease from the just cooked meat eliminates fatigue and helps with their stamina.
BANTAN OR THE MONGOLIAN HANG OVER CURE
Bantan is dish with the lowest fat content due to the soup is given to babies as the first solid food. It is also appropriate in other situations, bantan is a favorite hangover remedy for many Mongolians.
The ingredient of bantan consists of flour, meat and onion. Also you can add carrot, egg or green onion.
BORTS
Borts is air-dried meat cut into long strips which are hung in the shade. The Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and the local climatic conditions gave rise to specific methods of preserving meat. The most widespread one is air-drying.
Before using the dried meat it is powdered and the put into boiling water. In a minute you have a nourishing broth. It is the most suitable meat for travel. Also people boil it in milk tea. You can find packaged borts ar supermarkets also some canteens, cafes and restaurants serve cuisine made by borts.
MILK TEA
The everyday beverage is salted milk tea. Mongolian milk tea is made by pouring cold water into a kettle, a pinch of salt, crushed green tea, milk and then is brought to the boil. Once the tea is boiled, the mixture is put through a tea strainer to remove the crushed tea. Milk tea has many different tastes, depending on the aimags you visit. Some people prefer to drink with a bit more salt and others prefer to drink it with less salt. Milk tea is served with many meals and snacks in Mongolia. You can find it every cafes and restaurants of Mongolia. Also you can try its packaged powder from supermarkets.
AARUUL
Dairy products are usually high energy-yielding food products. It is believed by experts that this food item is the reason behind the strong teeth of Mongolian people. It is curdled milk that is dehydrated and dried.
AIRAG
Airag is the fermented horse milk with an alcohol content of about 7%. The most prominent national beverage during summers in Mongolia is airag. It is also popularly served during weddings, festivals and other special events. It improves pathogenic microbes in your body and ensures good health if consumed in moderation.
BOORTSOG
Boortsog is a type of fried dough food. The dough consists of flour, yeast, milk, eggs, margarine, salt, sugar, and fat. Boortsog is often eaten at breakfast.
In conclusion, Mongolia is a country of tasty cuisine. Therefore do not worry on foods, you will find something to eat everywhere in Mongolia. Enjoy!
Source: wikipedia.com, discovermongolia.mn
Baby dinosaurs comes home
April 26 (news.mn) The fossil remains of three baby dinosaurs which had been smuggled out of Mongolia have been returned home. Although small, the three small Saurolohus, belonged to a type of giant herbivore, which lived 70 million years in the Late Cretaceous - the last age of the dinosaurs.
The Sauolophus returned to Mongolia under a co-operation agreement between the Mongolian Ministry of Education Culture and Science, the Belgian Scientific Policy Authority and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science, which covers Mongolian geological, paleontological and biological items of value which had been illegally smuggled abroad.
The remains of the Late Cretaceous dinosaurs will soon be on display at the Central Dinosaur Museum. During April, the US authorities returned a number valuable dinosaur remains back to Mongolia, including a nest of Protoceratops eggs, a rare skull of a Alioramus and an almost complete Bactrosaurus skeleton. Over the last three years 23 dinosaur remains have been returned from the USA.
Mongolia is so much more than a bucket-list destination
April 26 (New York Post) Mongolians call their country "munkh khukh tengeriin oron" — "land of the eternal blue sky" — and driving across the Gobi desert, deep in the nation's south, it's easy to see why. A ceiling of nearly cloudless cerulean curves overhead, from horizon to horizon, extending over the flat, softly verdant landscape like a dome. Despite being the world's fourth-largest desert — "gobi" even means "desert" in Mongolian — in the wetter season, the ground sprouts green here, like the African savannah after the rains.
As for that horizon, it's clearly visible for 360 degrees, 20, 30 miles in the distance, demarcated in the furthest stretches only by the bruise-colored silhouettes of low mountain ranges. As the heat picks up, your eyes tell you that placid lakes shimmer at the base of these ridges, and you'll swear they're right until the lakes never get any closer, and you realize they were only a mirage.
Mongolia can sometimes seem more like an idea than an actual place, a name you conjure when trying to think of the most out-there, far-flung destination you could go, a land of bucket-list bragging rights, a Place To See Before You Die. People go to say they've gone without really knowing what they're going to see. These people may find themselves disappointed, for the pleasures of Mongolia aren't like those of similarly heralded exotic locales. They're not the colors and swirls of India or Morocco, the big game of East Africa, the calving glaciers and soaring icebergs of Patagonia or Antarctica.
Mongolia's joys are quieter, more subtle, found in the sweep of the arm of a nomadic archer as she take aim, or in a slow ride on a double-humped camel between golden desert dunes, or in the glow of the first sliver of the full moon as it rises, like a giant Chinese lantern, on that distant desert horizon.
I started my Mongolia trip, as most do, in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city. But the adventure really began on my last evening in New York, when friends who'd already been to the country gave me a series of dire warnings: Pack a sleeping bag (nomadic hospitality, while genuine, doesn't extend to bed linens, or even necessarily mattresses). Don't eat the food (unless you fancy gristly, greasy mutton and fermented mare's milk). If you do eat the food, bring soy sauce (everything, they said, is better with soy sauce).
They also offered a reading recommendation, the memoir-cum-travelogue "Wild East," by Jill Lawless, a Canadian journalist who spent a few years in Mongolia in the mid-'90s, just after seven decades of Soviet Communism fell here. Her harrowing, often hilarious, stories of expat life, which I read on the plane on the way over, surpassed even those of my friends' holiday.
Upon arriving, however, and over the course of my week in Ulaanbaatar and the Gobi, I found that the rumors of Mongolia's miseries had been greatly exaggerated. (Of course, there were always indications of luxer leanings given the country's robust cashmere economy; Mongolia stands among world's top produces of the sought-after wool, which is one of its primary exports.)
These days, the capital has gotten its first true five-star hotel, the Shangri-La (from $238/night), where I stayed, in quarters that combine ancient Mongolian motifs and materials with every thoughtful comfort and convenience you'd expect from an Internet-age international brand.
And, thanks to the work of Nomadic Expeditions (10-day trips from $4,595) — a full-service high-end travel outfitter founded by a Mongolian-American, which organized my trip — the Gobi has thoroughly comfortable eco-camp options: Three Camel Lodge (doubles from $670) is comprised of some 40 luxed-up gers, the country's typical round nomadic dwellings equivalent to yurts; as of this year, most of those gers even have hot water and flush toilets in their ensuite local-stone bathrooms. Neither the Shangri-La nor Three Camel serves Mongolian food at its most traditional, and they're the better for it.
In Ulaanbaatar, a capital planned for 270,000 but now home to nearly half the country's 3 million inhabitants, buildings sprawl from a center of glass skyscrapers and pastel-hued government buildings (designed in an often bombastic style known as Stalin Gothic) past mid-century housing blocs to felt-sided gers that ring the periphery.
The touristic must-sees I saw seemingly sought to remind visitors that Mongolia under Genghis Khan — here known as Chinggis — and his progeny were once the center of the world, even if it now feels a bit caught in the middle of Europe and Asia. While nodding to communism, the National Museum celebrates Chinggis and his sway over the two continents, and even the Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs, despite being unceremoniously constrained by temporary quarters in a mall basement — turn left at the gelato kiosk for the fossils! — asserts the country's import as the home of the greatest beings to have ever walked the earth.
The city has been slow to slough off its Soviet past, however, even as it propels itself forward. In the main square, a relatively new statue of Chinggis, for whom the plaza is now named, sits in the façade of the parliament building, but in the middle is a statue of Sükhbaatar, the square's previous namesake, who led the communist revolt against the then-colonizing Chinese in the 1920s, and came to be called "the Lenin of Mongolia" by the Soviets.
And at the 200-year-old Tibetan-style Gandan Monastery — one of only a handful allowed to remain open by the communists, who otherwise destroyed the buildings and killed thousands of monks and lamas — a massive, 85-foot-tall golden Buddha, serenely standing under intricately painted wooden rafters, dates only to 1996, when it replaced the one Moscow ripped out in the 1930s.
Plans are underway now for a huge temple complex on the city's outskirts, a sprawling, Jetsonian development crowned by a 35-story stupa and a Buddha taller than the Statue of Liberty. In a city of big construction cranes, and even bigger dreams, a city very much in a state of becoming, anything is possible.
I traveled 300 miles southwest towards the Chinese border. Off the grid in the Gobi, clambering up a rocky hillside to spot petroglyphs that range in age from 2,000 to 10,000 years old, watching nomads as young as seven hoot and holler as they race their ponies, or just looking out the bright orange door of myger at Three Camel across a seemingly endless green expanse punctuated only by herds of goats, I remember Ulaanbaatar as a metropolis.
From the top of a sand dune or a plateau of the craggy, rust-colored Flaming Cliffs — where in the 1920s an American Museum of Natural History scientist happened upon the first fossilized dinosaur nest ever to be discovered — the city and the plush Shangri-La seem impossibly, wonderfully far away, even though they're just a 90-minute flight and a few hours' drive away. Even surprise sunset cocktails and a pop-up four-course dinner, served safari-style under an open-sided canvas tent at the base of the cliffs can't make civilization seem any closer.
In the early morning hours of our final day in the Gobi, as we ride across the desert back to the airport in Nomadic Expedition's fleet of Land Cruisers, the silvery full moon still hangs above the horizon to our right as the sun rises on the left, silhouetting a caravan of camels. It's an in-between, both-and moment that strikes me as just right for Mongolia right now. Go soon, before it picks a side.
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14 Chinggis Avenue, Sukhbaatar District 1
Ulaanbaatar 14251, Mongolia
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