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Yay! Netflix will premiere the new spin-off, “Physical: Welcome to Mongolia,” this December. The 4-episode series will be released in 2 parts. Episodes 1 and 2 on December 24, followed by Episodes 3 and 4 on December 31. Catch the full story throughout the holiday season. 😁

What’s inside today’s edition…

• 🌍 Record-High Tourist Arrivals

• 🤝 Mongolia–Italy Strategic Partnership

• 📊 Mongolia’s Statistical Performance Update

No Time to Waste. Let’s Get Started! 🦘

MARKET

MNG: Mongolia partners with Oracle to launch AI and big data training program. 

GOV: The Government of Mongolia has issued an official statement in response to repeated remarks by Democratic Party leader O.Tsogtgerel concerning a proposed tax amnesty, affirming that no amnesty will be granted and seeking to prevent any public misunderstanding.

MNG: As of December this year, Mongolia welcomed 810,000 tourists, setting a record for the country’s tourism industry.

🇲🇳🇮🇹 Mongolia Elevates Ties with Italy to Strategic Partnership

President U.Khurelsukh’s state visit to Italy underscored the growing importance of bilateral relations between the countries. As a result, Italy becomes the second European Union country, after Germany, to hold a strategic partnership with Mongolia, signaling a deepening of trust and cooperation.

🍰 Comprehensive Cooperation Across the Sectors

Mongolia and Italy have deepened their partnership through high-level agreements across education, culture, tourism, minerals, disaster management, and media. Scheduled from 2025 to 2028, these collaborations aim to boost sectoral exchanges, promote sustainable development, and enhance people-to-people connections, reflecting Mongolia’s strategy to diversify international partnerships. The key agreements, 

• Education, Culture & Sports: Mongolia and Italy will expand cooperation from 2025 to 2028 through university exchanges, joint research, cultural exhibitions, and artistic programs.

• Tourism: A new MoU aims to boost business partnerships, ease travel routes, and increase tourism exchanges between the two countries.

• Minerals & Raw Materials: Both sides agreed to promote sustainable and transparent trade and investment in strategic minerals, collaborating on geology, mining, processing, and recycling in line with international standards.

• Subnational Partnerships: New partnerships between Mongolian provinces and Italian cities, such as Uvurkhangai–Majone, Arkhangai–Anacapri, and Arkhangai–Lovere, will enhance cooperation in tourism, culture, education, agriculture, and local development.

🧩 Strategic Implications for Mongolia’s Foreign Policy 

By formalizing this partnership, Mongolia reinforces its multi-vector foreign policy, expanding strategic engagement with key European partners while balancing relations with its existing “Comprehensive Strategic Partners” such as Russia and China. Italy’s support extends to legal, judicial, and administrative reforms, scientific research, higher education, and cultural cooperation. 

Overall… Mongolia’s new Strategic Partnership with Italy strengthens political and economic ties while elevating its profile in European diplomacy. The agreement deepens long-term cooperation across key sectors and reinforces Ulaanbaatar’s multi-vector foreign policy, positioning Mongolia as a more active, connected, and strategic player between Europe and Asia.

⭐ Selected for you

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

• KMAC Shares K-Medical Model with Mongolia. (DBR)

• Foreign Reserves Hit Record $6 Billion. (BOM)

• AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Mongolian National Reinsurance JSC. (TheAIJournal)

• Open Call for Direct Aid Program (Mongolia). (FundsforNGOs)

• Khan Bank Becomes the Bank of the Year. (KhanBank)

POLITICS

• Mongolia Advances the Fight Against Illicit Trafficking. (UNESCO)

• Government Prepares Global Tender for Erdenet Copper Smelter, Sets Legal Framework Proposals Due January 2026. (Montsame)

• Parliament Approves 2026-2030 Mongolia's Development Guidelines. (Kazinform)

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

• Fast-Rising Mongolian Rockers UUHAI Release Sweeping Second Single “Khar Khulz”. (KNAC)

• Not Charismatic but Crucial: Why the Khulan Matters to Mongolia’s Steppes? (AssociationGOVIINKHULAN)

• Frames of Mongolia: Best Landscape Photography of 2025. (InsideMongolia)

• AUTHENTIC MONGOLIA: All You Need to Know About Mongolia: Then & Now. (Amazon)

🧮 Mongolia Ranks 47th Globally in Statistical Performance

The World Bank has released its 2024 Statistical Performance Index (SPI), assessing countries’ statistical capacity across key dimensions of data collection, management, and dissemination. Mongolia climbed 5  places from last year to 47th, reflecting continued improvements in its statistical infrastructure and governance.

• ✍️ About the Index: The SPI evaluates countries on 5 core indicators, including data use, data services, statistical products, sources, and data infrastructure, with scores ranging from 0 to 100. High scores indicate strong transparency, reliable information for investment decisions, and the ability for policymakers to make evidence-based choices.

🌐 Global Overview 

Norway leads the 2024 ranking with a score of 94.1, followed by Sweden at 92.7, with both countries moving up 3 places from 2023. At the other end of the spectrum, South Sudan scored 27.1, and Turkmenistan scored 29.7, occupying the lowest ranks.

👀 Mongolia’s Performance

Mongolia scored 83.7, which is 14.4 points above the global average. Among the 5 core indicators, data services excelled at 96.3, while data infrastructure remained the country’s weakest area at 70. Regionally, Mongolia’s score is 17.1 points higher than the East Asia and Pacific average and 14.8 points above the average for upper-middle-income countries, highlighting its competitive performance on both regional and income-level benchmarks.

Looking ahead… Mongolia’s statistical capacity is increasingly robust, positioning the country competitively against peers. By steadily improving its 5 core indicators, Mongolia could aim to replicate its historic achievement of ranking 36th globally in 2016.

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Publisher: Ts.Ankhbayar
Writer: M.Khulan
Graphics by: Ts.Tselmeg

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