Category Archives: Politics

Mining Governance: Learning from Erdenet

By Mendee J As Mongolia struggles to make deals over giant mining projects like Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi, the country’s politicians, economists, mining professionals, and the public refer to Erdenet, the Mongolian-Russian joint copper and molybdenum factory, arguing whether or not lessons of  Erdenet would … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Erdenet, Governance, Mining, Mining Governance | Tagged | 4 Comments

UBC Outreach Event: CIRDI’s IMAGinE Mongolia Activities

Thursday, February 4, 2016, 15-16:30h Institute of Asian Research, University of British Columbia 1855 West Mall, Room 120 Vancouver IMAGinE Mongolia Outreach You are invited to learn about the “Integrated Management and Governance in Extractives (IMAGinE) Mongolia” project from the … Continue reading

Posted in Aimags, Canada, CIRDI, Development, Environment, Governance, Inequality, Mining, Mining Governance, Research on Mongolia | 1 Comment

Mining Governance: Tavan Tolgoi

Tavan Tolgoi was a costly test for the Mongolia’s mining governance.  It tested the resilience of the revised mining governance under the 2006 Minerals Law, checked the unity of political elites, especially of two major parties, and examined the resolve … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Mining, Mining Governance, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Many Habits of Successful Mongolian Digital Diplomats

I wrote “The Way Forward for Canadian Digital Diplomacy” for Canada’s The Embassy on November 18, 2015. I followed this up with a list of more specific about steps that Global Affairs Canada might take in developing Twiplomacy if this direction … Continue reading

Posted in Digital Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., Social Media | Tagged | 1 Comment

Mining Governance in Mongolia: A Messy Field

This is a brief, possibly too simple title of my field research in Mongolia.  The mining governance is an interesting subject for anyone studying Mongolian politics because it links Mongolia with the world, triggers rent-seeking competition among politicians, and upsets the local community, … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Governance, Mining, Mining Governance | Tagged | Leave a comment

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 | 3 Comments

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

Posted in Bilateral Aid, Business, Development, Diversification, Economics, Foreign Investment, Ikh Khural 2016, Inflation, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Politics, Stefan Hanselmann | Leave a comment

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 | Leave a comment

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 | Leave a comment

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 | 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 | 1 Comment

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 | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Democratic Party, Government, Ikh Khural 2016, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Change, Curios, Ikh Khural 2016, Politics, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | 2 Comments

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

Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Foreign Investment, Ikh Khural 2016, JD Democratization, Mongolian People's Party, Party Politics, Politics, Public Opinion | Tagged | Leave a comment