Policy & Advocacy

Mongolia reached upper-middle-income status (UMIC) in 2024 due to its coal-driven economic expansion in 2023. Following years of mining sector expansion, the East Asian nation attained UMIC status for the first time in 2015. That status, however, was only temporary, as a 2016 economic crisis resulted from expansionary macroeconomic policies and foreign shocks to the minerals industry. The mining sector accounts for one-fourth of GDP, 31 percent of state revenue, nearly 80 percent of foreign direct investment, and 92 percent of exports. This heavy reliance makes the country vulnerable to external shocks. In recent years, authorities have tried to develop a prudent banking and financial sector to upscale the capital market’s role. [...]

Mongolia continues to advance its digital transformation with initiatives like the E-Mongolia platform and key legislative steps to secure data protection and cybersecurity. There are emerging success stories and cases of the private sector driving these developments in generative AI platforms and blockchain innovation. Economic diversification efforts are supported by e-commerce initiatives, with international collaborations enhancing digital infrastructure and literacy. Despite the rapid progress, challenges such as the digital divide, sustainability concerns, and the need for coherent and clear legal frameworks remain. AmCham’s Digital Economy and ICT Committee is in the driver’s seat, advocating a key policy agenda and presenting Mongolia’s case regionally and its digital transformation success stories. This paper reviews the latest legal framework, emerging opportunities and challenges, regional and global trends, and specific case studies in advancing the development of generative AI platforms in Mongolia. [...]

Mongolia’s frontier market and vast potential natural resource reserves represent potentially lucrative opportunities for investors but vulnerability to external economic and financial shocks, ineffective dispute resolution, and lack of input from stakeholders during rulemaking warrant caution. Mongolia imposes few market-access barriers, and investors face few investment restrictions, enjoying mostly unfettered market access. Franchises such as fast food and convenience stores, outperforming expectations, suggest that investors can bring successful international business models to Mongolia. The cashmere apparel and agricultural sectors also show strong promise. However, investing into potentially highly lucrative but politically sensitive sectors, including mining and energy, carries higher risk. [...]

The Parliamentary Election Guide provides an overview of the new election system, the amendments to the Constitution, a comparative review of the major political parties’ platforms, and AmCham’s recommendations for supporting a free market and free enterprise. AmCham Mongolia is an unbiased, non-partisan organization representing the interests of its members. The Chamber is committed to constructively engaging with newly elected authorities regardless of their political affiliation. [...]

This paper was prepared by the Financial Services Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia (AmCham) and the Foreign Direct Investment Working Group of EuroChamber Mongolia (EuroChamber) under the leadership of the Chairman of the AmCham’s Financial Services Committee, Shaukat Tapia, and Co-chairman of the FDI working group, EuroChamber’s Daniel Mahoney. All rights to this publication remain with AmCham and EuroChamber.Any part of the report may be freely reproduced with the appropriate acknowledgment. [...]

The agriculture sector’s role in Mongolia’s economy cannot be underestimated. It contributes 13 percent to GDP and employs 30 percent of the total workforce. According to an ADB analysis, livestock accounts for 84.2 percent of agricultural output. Meat and milk are currently the primary products of the livestock sub-sector, amounting to 61 percent of livestock output and seven percent of GDP.1 The meat industry, particularly exports, is one of the most promising avenues for Mongolia to diversify its economy. Mongolia exported 70,000 tons of meat and meat products as of December 2023. Forty percent of this exported meat is thermally processed meat sold to China, while 11 percent is beef, 36 percent is horse, 20 percent is sheep, and 33 percent is goat.2 However, these numbers are relatively low considering the national livestock count of over 70 million animals. [...]

The Investment Law was enacted in 2013 and was relatively progressive, offering several incentives to investors. However, numerous challenges in its implementation have created burdens for investors, including the inconsistency of provisions related to tax incentives offered by the law and tax law and a capital requirement of 100,000 USD for each investor. The long-awaited amendments were drafted by the newly established Ministry of Economy and Development (MED). It is commendable that the ministry, under the personal leadership of its minister, convened a series of inclusive and participatory consultations, provided English and Mongolian versions of the draft, and responded with detailed feedback to comments from stakeholders. The draft has several progressive features, including removing the 100,000 USD capital requirement and using arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism. [...]

The Minerals Law amendments are one of a few critical pieces of legislation investors are closely monitoring. The Minerals Law was first adopted in 2006. The mining sector has faced boom-and-bust cycles, with regulations related to exploration and mining permits changing radically in recent years. The Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry (MIHI) plans to develop comprehensive legislation to address inconsistency and overlaps in other legislation related to the minerals sector. The MIHI organized a series of public consultations on the amendments in March 2023. AmCham Mongolia provided its members with an English version of the amendments, submitted 120 comments—highlighting 16 critical comments, and attended the public consultations organized by the MIHI. [...]

The real estate brokerage industry is relatively new to Mongolia but has grown rapidly. The value of the Real Estate market is projected to reach US$36.07bn in 2023. Residential Real Estate dominates the market with a projected market volume of US$26.45bn in 2023. The value is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2028) of 10.38%, resulting in a market volume of US$59.09bn by 20281. Eighty-eight companies, or 31 percent of all licensees registered with the Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC), are international franchisees. Sixty-six firms have RE/MAX franchise licenses, 21 companies hold Century 21 licenses, and one company has a Keller Williams franchise license. [...]

We are pleased to share with you our "Position Paper on Effective Internet Governance" in English and Mongolian, which was developed by our ICT and Digital Economy Committee, chaired by A.Byambajaa (META). We thank the chairwoman and members of the ICT and Digital Economy Committee including the U.S. embassy for their constructive feedback and comments on this paper. This paper analyzes the impact of social media crimes and proposes effective strategies to keep the internet safe and protect fundamental human rights, including the freedom of speech. Social media platforms have become integral to people’s lives worldwide, enabling communication, information sharing, and social interaction on an unprecedented scale. However, along with the numerous benefits, the rise of social media has also brought about significant challenges related to digital crime. Like many other countries, Mongolia faces the urgent need to govern and legislate concerns associated with social media, including fraud, child pornography, the dissemination of false information, and related crimes. While doing so, Mongolia must also ensure that new laws and policies do not infringe upon personal freedoms and free speech or cause commercial harm. [...]

AmCham Mongolia's latest position paper on Mongolia's Trade and Investment Policy (in English), covers the government's previous policy framework to attract and retain foreign direct investment (FDI), including Vision 2050, as well as the most recent New Recovery Policy, with a focus on Mongolia's need to increase FDI from third-country investors. [...]

This position paper was developed by American Chamber of Commerce in Mongolia (AmCham Mongolia) to explore areas of opportunity in Mongolia, specifically its film industry to boost investment, promoting the country as a global destination for international film-makers and studios. This policy paper provides a review of the global regulatory environment surrounding the film and production industry and a set of recommendations that Mongolia’s policy makers should consider putting in place so the world’s top studios will choose Mongolia for their film and television projects. [...]