💼 HARVARD CLIQUE | NUCLEAR POWER | DEMOGRAPHICS

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 📜 MONGOLIA’S HARVARD CLIQUE TAKES CHARGE OF THE GOVERNMENT

A new generation of Western-educated leaders is reshaping Mongolia’s politics and economy, with Harvard alumni at the forefront. As the most recent example, Tana Jambaldorj, a Harvard and Oxford alumna, has been appointed to the board of Oyu Tolgoi, the country’s largest copper mine. She joins a growing number of Harvard graduates in top government positions, who share a vision of modernizing Mongolia and diversifying its resource-dependent economy.

The driving force behind this trend is prime minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, who also studied at Harvard and took office in January 2021. He has surrounded himself with fellow Harvard alumni, most of whom he studied with at Harvard, creating a new faction within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party. Here are some of the other members of the Harvard clique:

• Batnairamdal Otgonshar (MBA, 2015) was the first Harvard appointee by Oyun-Erdene as deputy minister for mining and heavy industry in 2020. He stepped down from the post earlier this year but is widely expected to launch his political career soon.

• Solongoo Bayarsaikhan (LLM, 2015) is one of Oyun-Erdene’s most trusted aides and has been the deputy minister for justice and home affairs since 2021. She played a key role in negotiating a new deal with Rio Tinto that wrote off $2.5 billion of debt for Mongolia related to Oyu Tolgoi.

• Uyanga Bold (PhD, 2016) is the director of the National Geological Survey. She is a respected academic who has published several research papers on geology.

• Dulguun Baasandavaa (MPA, 2018) is the director of the New Recovery Policy Accelerator, a think tank that supports Oyun-Erdene’s flagship policy to revive and boost Mongolia’s economy.

The rise of the Harvard clique underpins a grander trend of an increasing number of Mongolians going to prestigious universities, which would’ve been unthinkable just a decade ago. The Harvard alumni, who are perceived as relative outsiders to politics, bring a wealth of knowledge and innovative ideas to the statecraft.

The Mongolian government has prioritized expanding scholarships and bilateral agreements with foreign countries to enable more Mongolians to access quality education. Both the President and the Prime Minister have their own scholarship schemes to send students to top universities abroad, alongside Fulbright, Chevening, and other conventional programs. As a result, the number of Mongolians attending top universities has increased significantly, creating a sense of excitement for the youth-dominated country, with an average age of only 28.2.

📈 DATA STORY: DEMOGRAPHY

Mongolia has one of the youngest populations in the region, with more than 60 percent under the age of 30. Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and Gen Alpha (born after 2012), who make up a large share of the population, are digital natives who grew up with social media, smartphones, and online learning.

They are more aware of global issues such as climate change, pandemics, and economic instability, and more likely to demand action from governments and businesses. They are also more diverse, inclusive, and entrepreneurial than previous generations.

For Mongolia, this means that its young generations could be a source of innovation, creativity, and social change. However, it also means that the country needs to invest in education, health care, and infrastructure to meet its needs and aspirations.

Moreover, the country needs to diversify its economy beyond mining and agriculture and create more opportunities for its youth to participate in the global market. Otherwise, it risks losing its human capital to other countries that offer better prospects for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

🇫🇷 MACRON’S VISIT AND MONGOLIA’S NUCLEAR POTENTIAL

Mongolia is exploring the possibility of building a nuclear power plant with France, as it seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and Russian energy imports.

B. Choijilsuren, the energy minister, said on Friday that a potential visit by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, later this month could pave the way for cooperation on uranium mining and nuclear energy.

Mongolia has the world’s 12th-largest uranium reserves, with 200,000 tonnes of proven deposits. The country has been working with Orano Group, the French state-owned nuclear company, since 1999 through a joint venture called Badrakh Energy, formerly known as Areva Mines. The venture’s main project, the Zuuvch Ovoo uranium mine, is expected to start production soon.

According to official data, Mongolia relies on fossil fuels for 96% of its 6Mtoe energy supply. It also imports 13% of its electricity and all of its oil from Russia, making it vulnerable to price fluctuations and political pressure from Moscow.

The landlocked nation has been trying to diversify its energy sources and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. However, nuclear power faces public opposition and mistrust in Mongolia, where memories of Soviet-era nuclear tests and the images of the Fukushima nuclear disaster linger in the public consciousness.

🏃 QUICK STORIES

📌 Mining and manufacturing fuel Mongolia’s industrial surge. Mongolia’s industrial output more than doubled in a year, reaching ₮8.3 trillion ($2.9 billion). The surge was driven by a 280% jump in mining, which accounted for ₮4.2 trillion, and a 24.8% rise in manufacturing, which added ₮212 billion.

📌 Mongolia starts the pipeline project with China’s Norinco. A pipeline connecting Mongolia’s Tamsag oil field with a refinery under construction in Altanshiree will begin to take shape this week. The 530km project is being developed by Norinco, a Chinese state-owned industrial group.

📌 Rio Tinto and InvesCore team up to tackle the low recycling rate in Mongolia, where only a fraction of the waste generated is reused, through a green fund. The fund will support projects that improve waste management and create circular economy opportunities.

📌 Power station for India-backed refinery breaks ground. A power station to supply electricity to an oil refinery project in Mongolia’s eastern Dornod province has begun construction, with India’s Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited as the main contractor.

📌 Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Battsetseg is visiting China on May 1-2, 2023. Given the invitation of the Qing Gang, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and a member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the Ministers will hold official talks and exchange views on strengthening Mongolia-China partnership and intensifying cooperation.

📌 Mongolia is on track to repay its $368.7m Gerege bond in full on Monday, after successfully managing a $650m loan over the past three years. But the finance minister cautioned that the country may still need IMF assistance in the third quarter amid economic uncertainty.

⭐ TOP NEWS

• Mongolia: How Nalaikh’s Youth See Democracy (The Diplomat)

• Finland and Norway Can Help Solve Mongolia’s Clean Water Issue (The Diplomat)

• Polish President Advocates Closer Ties with Mongolia (polskieradio.pl)

• China’s Hopu Raises $141 Million for Mongolia Buyout Fund (Nikkei Asia)

• Mongolia’s Third Neighbour Policy Blooms (The Diplomat)

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Editor: E. Zolbayar
Writer: A. Bilguun, A. Bayarmaa

Disclaimer: The information "Inside Mongolia" provides is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The decision whether to consider the information we provide is solely our readers' independent decision.