WB'S EAST ASIA PACIFIC REG'L VICE PRESIDENT IS HERE

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ World Bank (WB) East Asia Pacific Regional vice president Ms Pamela Cox has visited a nomadic family in Tov aimag to see outcome of the "Solar Gers"--a renewable energy and rural electricity access project /REAP/. Ms Cox has said,“We are proud to be part of this effort, which means 500,000 people--or half the rural population of Mongolia--have electricity through portable and affordable solar home systems. Now, children can study at night, families can watch TV and recharge cell phones, getting connect to the world while maintaining their nomadic lifestyles. This is one of many innovative ideas we are putting to work on the ground to make growth more inclusive.” She has noted that recent double-digit growth saw poverty decreased by almost ten percent in 2010-2011, from 39.2% to 29.8 %, and "an important progress has been made in gender, with more women parliamentarians than ever before," but about 30% of Mongolians "still live in poverty". The challenge is for the ongoing economic transformation to be inclusive and sustainable so that all Mongolians have an opportunity for a better life, she added. Ms Cox says Mongolia's long term economic prospects are strong, generating sustainable and inclusive growth will require sustained actions including a sound legal framework for mining, transparent management of revenues, support for diversification of the economy, and support for the most vulnerable. Ch.Enkhtuya