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Yearly Archives: 2015
New to Ulaanbaatar in late 2015
I’ve been keeping a list of things that are arriving to/disappearing from central Ulaanbaatar: May 2015 | May 2014 | October 2013. I’ve copied the 2014 and 2015 lists here and am adding to it. New items since previous posts appear in italics. What has … Continue reading
Learning about Development Policy in Uvs Aimag
I just visited Uvs province in Western Mongolia for the first time and had the chance to meet with stakeholder representatives from government, civil society, small businesses, and the corporate sector to learn about their development policy. Fascinating 1st visit … Continue reading
Posted in CIRDI, Civil Society, Countryside, Development, Mining, Policy, Policy, Regulation, Social Issues, Social Movements, Water
Tagged Julian Dierkes
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Contract transparency in Mongolian Mining
Unbundling contract transparency in the extractive industry: the case of Mongolia – Part I Contract transparency is crucial in ensuring deals in the extractive industry deliver better outcomes for the host nation and community. Civil society has long campaigned for … Continue reading
Posted in Corruption, International Agreements, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Social Movements
Tagged BYAMBAJAV Dalaibuyan
3 Comments
Methodology as a Methodology
As exhausting as all-day meetings with stakeholders can be (with a bit of jetlag, multiple languages and instant coffee thrown into the mix), I am always fascinated by how individuals present themselves, what they are looking for, and how questions … Continue reading
Posted in CIRDI, Countryside, Curios, Social Issues, Society and Culture
Tagged Julian Dierkes
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Guest Post: Mongolia 2016 – Will there be light at the end of the tunnel?
By Stefan Hanselmann If the development of the last quarter of 2015 can serve as an indicator, we can eventually expect for next year some real light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, Mongolia had to learn the hard … Continue reading
EITI in Mongolia at the Tipping Point
The EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) is no longer a stranger in the Mongolian resource governance discourses as witnessed at the First National Forum and 5th National Corporate Social Responsibility Forum, both organized in November, 2015. The debate now focuses … Continue reading
Posted in Corruption, EITI, Mining, Mining Governance, Politics, Social Issues
Tagged MENDEE Jargalsaikhan
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UN Human Rights Council
I recently wrote about President Elbegdorj’s address to the UN General Assembly this September and his statement that he is seeking UN recognition for Mongolia’s status as “permanently neutral”. Elbegdorj ended this speech with a call for support from other … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., UN
Tagged Julian Dierkes
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Thoughts on Constitutional Reform
By Julian Dierkes I am not a constitutional scholar. My observations on the constitutional reform proposals that are being considered by the Mongolian parliament are thus based on my understanding of Mongolian politics on the one hand, and my experience of … Continue reading
Posted in Aimags, Constitution, Democracy, Foreign Policy, Governance, JD Democratization, Politics
Tagged Julian Dierkes
3 Comments
Constitutional Revision
By Julian Dierkes It appears that all of a sudden the push for constitutional revision is alive and becoming more concrete with a multi-party submission of a draft in parliament that appears to have the support of 60% of MPs. … Continue reading
Posted in Aimags, Constitution, Democracy, Governance, International Relations, JD Democratization, Judiciary, Politics
Tagged Julian Dierkes
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Countryside Impressions
On recent visits, I have generally been stuck in Ulaanbaatar. In late October, however, I had the opportunity to travel out to Arvaikheer, the capital of Uvurkhangai and to collect some impressions from this brief foray into the countryside. As … Continue reading
Permanent Neutrality
At the UN General Assembly, on Sept 29 2015, Pres. Ts Elbegdorj included a very brief statement in his address that, Mongolia has pursued an peaceful, open, multi-pillar foreign policy. This stance enabled us to declare Mongolia in a state … Continue reading
Posted in China, Foreign Policy, Military, Mongolia and ..., Russia, UN
Tagged Julian Dierkes, MENDEE Jargalsaikhan
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The Contested Politics of the Presidential Veto
In August, parliament (State Ikh Khural) passed two separate amnesty bills: the first provides a one-time amnesty for all unregistered wealth from criminal investigations and taxation. The other applies to first-time offenders, minors, women with small children and people who haven’t … Continue reading
Posted in Corruption, Governance, Judiciary, Law, Party Politics, Politics, Populism
Tagged MENDEE Jargalsaikhan
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Cabinet Reshuffle
By Julian Dierkes Roughly a month after MPP members were kicked out of cabinet, we now appear to have a Saikhanbileg II cabinet forming. Cabinet Composition The new cabinet members are: G Bayarsaikhan (DP), Min of Labour B Bolor (DP), … Continue reading
Ulaanbaatar Impressions
By Julian Dierkes Yes, another periodic visit to Ulaanbaatar, yes once again too short a visit, but here are some immediate impressions along the lines of observations on previous visits that I noted down: May 2015 | November 2014 | May 2014 … Continue reading
Politics in Late Summer 2015
By Julian Dierkes I’m about to head to Ulaanbaatar for a very brief visit. While summer is a time of parliamentary recess and Naadam, it has been a bit more eventful than usual with the de facto dissolution of PM … Continue reading