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Today’s highlights in 3 sentences…

• 👀 Will The MongolZ Shock the World?

• 🆘 Fiscal SOS

• 🏀 FIBA3×3 in Mongolia. Game On!

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

MARKET

GOV: The Government of Mongolia has placed Thermal Power Plant No. 3 under a special operational regime and raised the energy sector to a heightened state of readiness following recent disruptions.

UZB: The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to pay a state visit to Mongolia on June 24–25. 

JPN: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are scheduled to undertake a state visit to Mongolia from July 6 to 13.

MNG: Mongolia’s National Chamber of Commerce and Industry President L.Tur-Od has resigned after serving 7 months in the role.

🏆 Sleepless for a Reason: The MongolZ Take Mongolia to the Grand Final

How many sports in Mongolia can draw at least 100,000 fans staying up until 4 a.m. on a Monday? Very few. Yet, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), the latest iteration of the globally renowned esports franchise, has become a nationwide phenomenon with The MongolZ leading the charge.

🐲 A Historic Rise Since 2016 

The MongolZ first captured global attention in 2016 by winning the A-Tier IEM Taipei and ROG MASTERS Asia tournaments. Ranked 24th globally at the time, their success marked a milestone for Mongolian esports and reshaped public perception of competitive gaming.

🐐 From Underdogs to TOP-5 in the World

The current roster, consisting of bLitz, Techno4K, mzinho, 910, and Senzu, was solidified in 2023. With an average age of just 20.7, the team climbed from 50th in late 2023 to a world ranking of 5th in just 18 months, earning over $1.3 million across 42 international tournaments.

• 👑 Regional Trailblazers: The MongolZ are the first Asian team to crack the world’s TOP-10, claim an S-Tier tournament victory, and reach the playoff stage of a CS2 Major.

🤩 On the Road to Glory

Competing at the $1.3 million BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, The MongolZ made history by advancing directly to Stage 3 and securing a Quarterfinals berth with a 3–2 group stage record. Their playoff qualification was sealed with a statement win over powerhouse G2 Esports, fueled by Senzu’s record-setting 56 kills across regulation and overtime, one of the highest single-map performances in CS2 Major history.

• 🏆 The MongolZ stunned FaZe in the quarters, took down Brazil’s paiN in the semis, and stormed into the Grand Final against the giants Vitality. They finished their incredible run as runners-up, marking a historic milestone not just for Mongolia, but for all of Asia in the global CS:GO arena.

🩷 A Promising Future

Data shows peak CS2 performance typically occurs between ages 20 and 24, with 75% of past Major champions falling within this range. With every member of The MongolZ squad in this prime age bracket, Mongolia’s esports stars are not just making history. They’re just getting started.

⭐ Selected for you

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

• The National Information Technology Park (NITP) Has Been Selected as the Implementing Partner for the “Information Technology Sector Development Project”. (ITPark)

• Rio Tinto Agrees to $138.75m Settlement for Oyu Tolgoi Project in Mongolia. (MiningTechnology)

• JISCO Group Xinhaoda Company's Tender Notice for Concentrated Procurement of Iron Ore Sands from Mongolia in July 2025. (SMM)

• UNDP Launches New Carbon Market Readiness Project in Mongolia with Support from Green Climate Fund. (UNDP)

• After 9 Years of Construction, Oyu Tolgoi’s Conveyor to Surface (C2S) System Has Officially Passed State Commissioning. (OyuTolgoi)

POLITICS

• Mongolian President Receives Written Message from Sultan of Oman. (QNA)

• A New Ambassador from Kazakhstan, Mr. Almas Seitakynov, Has Been Appointed to Mongolia. (President.mn)

• Mongolia Elevates Health Sector to Emergency Readiness in Response to Measles Outbreak. (GOV)

• Remarks of Ambassador Richard L. Buangan, Central Asia-Mongolia-Caucasus-Afghanistan (CAMCA) Regional Forum. (U.S.Embassy)

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

• Rare Sightings: A Eurasian Lynx Crosses Under a Railway in Mongolia’s South Gobi. (WildlifeConversationSociety)

• Properties Deemed "Zero Value" in Mongolia. (MiyamotoInternational)

• Reworking a Future: Buddhist Revival in Mongolia. (BBC)

• FIBA3x3: When in Mongolia. (FIBA3x3)

👀 Fiscal SOS: Mongolia’s Government Faces Budget Emergency

Mongolia’s new government under Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar rushes to address a mounting fiscal deficit and entrenched public sector inefficiencies by announcing widespread layoffs and a ₮1.8 trillion budget amendment. 

🏃🏻‍➡️ Mass Layoffs Target Overlapping Bureaucracy

The Government of Mongolia has begun implementing a plan to cut 14,400 civil service positions, part of a broader mandate passed by Parliament to reduce public sector employment by 9% by 2026. In the first phase, 16 ministries will eliminate approximately 1,900 positions, equivalent to a 20% staff reduction, by identifying and removing overlapping functions. 

• ♊ In parallel, 30 of the country’s 60 national committees are set to be dissolved as part of efforts to streamline governance.

🆘 Emergency Budget Amendment 

The layoffs accompany an emergency revision to the 2025 state budget. Mongolia’s budget took a major hit in the first half of the year, with revenues falling short by ₮2.5 trillion. In response, the new PM has announced plans to cut government spending by ₮2.3 trillion as part of the emergency budget revision.

• 🪭 To offset this, ₮535 billion will be covered under the Law on State Savings, through the cancellation of 1,030 projects and programs that had not been procured by May 31. The remaining ₮1.8 trillion gap is expected to be corrected through formal budget cuts.

📉 Budget Reductions

Although the government pledged to apply the smallest budget reductions to the Education and Health ministries, the Ministry of Health ultimately faced the largest cut of ₮69.9 billion. Other affected ministries include:

• Urban Development and Housing: ₮36 billion

• Education and Science: ₮33 billion

• Road Transport and Development: ₮33 billion

• Culture, Sports, and Tourism: ₮19.7 billion

• Other ministries: ₮120.7 billion in collective reductions.  

Finally… Mongolians have long called for a leaner, more efficient government. But what’s more striking, and concerning, is the narrow focus of ministry-level discussions, which remain focused on headcount reductions rather than structural reform. Without clear criteria for performance or transparency in the selection process, there is a growing risk that ordinary staff will bear the brunt of these layoffs, while politically appointed managers and backdoor hires remain unscathed. 

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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.