For three decades, Mongolia was on the receiving end. Now it has written a cheque to the institution that once wrote them for us.

Mongolia has decided to contribute MNT 4.8 billion — roughly US$1.3 million — to the World Bank’s International Development Association, the concessional lending arm it borrowed from until graduating in 2020. By IDA’s standards the sum is a rounding error. By Mongolia, it is a statement: we are no longer the country that needs the help. Why now? And should Mongolia be giving out this money?

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Hosts: Anand, Dolgion, Julian

Keywords: Mongolia | World Bank | IDA | foreign aid | development finance | poverty | upper-middle-income | South Korea | aid graduation

In this episode, we discuss parliament’s latest budget hearing, where New Kharkhorum, President Khurelsukh’s planned city in the Orkhon Valley, finally faced scrutiny. MP Tsenguun calls it “an empty city where nobody lives,” yet it already has four administrative bodies on the public payroll, and MNT 7.7 billion is proposed to run them next year. From Maidar City to Oyun-Erdene’s 14 mega projects and Uchral’s green data centers, Mongolia’s grand ambitions look good on paper but too often become money sinks that leave the public holding the bill. So is New Kharkhorum a city in the making, or just another grand idea politicians need to stop pursuing?

If you have suggestions for our show, please get in touch at info[at]agulamedia.com

And if you’re a supporter of us at Buy Me a Coffee, The Great State Mural, or donate directly to our bank account: MN790015003105153063 Thank you for keeping the show going.

Three Universals: Shines

• The city on the steppe shines
• The city’s payroll shines
• But the city windows are unlikely to shine.

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Hosts: Anand, Dolgion, Julian

Keywords: Mongolia | New Kharkhorum | mega projects | Khurelsukh | state budget | Orkhon Valley | Maidar City | Erdenet | corruption | urban planning

2027 will be an interesting year for Mongolia as the presidential election kicks off. All the while there appears to be no clear incumbent on the ballot for the first time in years. Current President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa is constitutionally barred from a second term, and that vacancy has already set off quiet jockeying among the hopefuls in his party—there are few names that have been floated as potentials to represent the Mongolian People's Party.

Anand and Julian break down the field: who's in contention for the MPP, who might champion the Democratic Party, whether the HUN Party has any credible play left after neutering its own outsider image while in the coalition, and even which personalities look to be absent from contention.

Note: This episode was recorded before the dismissal of Justice Minister Amarsaikhan Sainbuyan. His candidacy is discussed here as an active possibility. As such, we will definitely revisit the topic a few more times before the election. Stay tuned for our follow-up coverage.

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Pocketcast | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Hosts: Anand, Julian

Keywords: Mongolia | presidential election 2027 | MPP | Democratic Party | Khurelsukh Ukhnaa | Battsetseg Batmunkh | Zandanshatar Gombojov | Mongolian politics