UN ASSISTANCE SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS MONGOLIA

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific at the United Nations Development Program Mr Haoliang Xu paid a working visit to Mongolia on June 16-20. Mr Xu was received by the Speaker of parliament Z.Enkhbold and the Premier N.Altankhuya. Moreover, he met with L.Bold, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; N.Batbayar, the Minister of Economic Development; and S.Oyun, the Minister of Environment and Green Development, to share views on the Mongolia-UN collaboration and to discuss expansion of the bilateral cooperation at concrete fields. Mr Xu also attended a developmental discussion on urbanization as well as a national discussion themed “Promoting the private sector’s contribution to sustainable development”, and got au fait with realization of the “Strengthening potential of rural self-governance bodies” project and with a project on modifying water supply in Dundgobi aimag. During the tour to the latter he met donors for the water supply project, together with the UNDP. Mr Xu expressed a satisfaction with the current cooperation between Mongolia and the UN. He also underlined that Mongolia is successfully implementing the 9th goal on fortifying human rights and developing democratic governance at the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which serves a good example for others. The UNDP will continue the cooperation with Mongolia as a partner instead of being as a donor in times of the intensive economic growth of the country, Mr Xu said. The UN Assistant Secretary-General emphasized that his visit to Mongolia gave him great opportunities to expand directions of the Mongolia-UN cooperation, to get familiarized with projects and programmes implemented by the UNDP, to study urgent problems and challenges, and to determine possible support and its direction from the UNDP.