The 5th national Millennium development goals (MDG) progress report launched on December 3 concluding that Mongolia is expected to achieve 71 percent of the global MDG targets by 2015.

The 5th report says, of the 24 targets, eight are either on track or have been fully achieved; seven more are likely to be achieved by 2015 but require additional effort; and four targets across three MDGs are unlikely to be achieved. It is difficult to assess progress on five targets because of data or measurement issues.

“Mongolia has already achieved a number of development goals such as achieving universal primary education, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. However, Mongolia still faces many challenges in achieving the other MDGs. The Government needs to make more efforts to meet the targets of the MDGs that are lagging behind” said PM N.Altankhuyag in his message.

Reducing poverty and unemployment has remained the most pressing challenge of development in Mongolia for the last 20 years. Mongolia set target of reducing poverty to 18 percent by 2015. Although Mongolia has experienced a relatively high level of economic growth in the last several years, the poverty level has not declined significantly. Unemployment in Mongolia has not declined either, according to population censuses and large-scale surveys.
“Climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss are significant issues for Mongolia” said UN Resident Coordinator Sezin Sinanoglu. She also recommended Mongolia to review its experience with MDG 9 because there is either no data or it is impossible to track progress achieved in the report.
Mongolia has introduced a specific goal “to develop and improve democratic governance in the country” which was promulgated as the Ninth Goal of the MDGs.