Mongolia ranks 26th in resource governance

The President of Mongolia and incumbent candidate for the presidential election, Ts.Elbegdorj, visited Shivee Ovoo soum in Dornogobi Province, 260 kilometers south-east of Ulaanbaatar, and made a campaign promise to be attentive to the issues facing its water reserve.

Shivee Ovoo soum is a well-known soum in Mongolia, as its Shivee Ovoo coal mine supplies the majority of thermal coal to the Power Plant No.4, producer of more than 60 percent of the nation’s electric power.

Soum residents and miners stressed the severity of the Gobi region’s water reserve issues to the President during his visit. They shared thoughts and views about the challenges and ways they can be resolved.

Although water diversion projects such as the Kherlen-Gobi project were introduced to restore the Gobi’s water reserve, progress has not been made. The president provided an update on the Orkhon-Gobi diversion project and suggested that there are many ways to resolve the issues in the Gobi desert.

Most of the rivers in Mongolia flow out of the country, and each year the country’s water reserve decreases. It is said that the Kherlen River supplies five large water reserves in China. Plans to replenish the Gobi’s water reserve all include an attempt to accumulate at least 30 percent of river water flowing out, and forming a channel to provide Gobi residents with a sustainable water supply.

The president noted that instead of letting the rivers run dry, it is possible to form water basins that will replenish the desert regions in the summer, when water use levels are at their highest. Ts.Elbegdorj promised to work towards implementing this project.

During the meeting with the president, Shivee Ovoo’s Head of the Mining Department, N.Amgalan, asked about the president’s position on the Shivee Ovoo’s mining license issues.

The president responded, “I consider it a fraud to reissue a prospecting license to a mine whose reserve has been approved by the state budget.”

“I, who have resigned from the office of Prime Minister twice to fight corruption, know the destruction and damage corruption can cause. I also know how to fight it. You have all seen how I [felt about] the corruption scandal at MIAT, which is proof of my fight against corruption,” said the President. “Fighting corruption isn’t easy. The Shivee Ovoo mine’s reserve has been approved at 2.5 billion tons of coal, to tell people to reset the reserve and reissue a prospecting licence is an example of fraud. To stop this, I am dedicating all my power and knowledge. Much time is needed. In the next four years, a significant amount of time will be devoted to fighting corruption.”

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