The 26 major development projects recently approved by the Government will be the basis for the future development of Mongolia. Their total cost will be at least USD 300 million, and this will come from foreign and local investors and international financial institutions. B.Ganbaatar of the Development and Investment Policy Department at the National Development and Reform Committee answers questions from the MMJ on the projects.

Why are these projects considered so significant?

Our Committee was established not so long ago and over the past 6 months, we have submitted to the Government a number of development planning measures and recommendations. We prepared policy and research documents, which are the basis of the present list. For example, we submitted a proposal on infrastructure development in the southern region of Mongolia in April even before the Oyu Tolgoi investment was signed. 
The southern Gobi will be the infrastructure hub during 2010-2015 as there can be no large-scale mining without proper infrastructure. Besides Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi, there will be a mining project of Nariin Sukhait brown coal, as also the Tsagaan Suvarga deposit project. There are many other smaller deposits in the region. A power station based on Shivee Ovoo mine is planned and so is a coal-processing unit. Mongolia is at the threshold of rapid development and our Committee was established to ensure that opportunities are utilised and to formulate recommendations towards that end.
The 320th Resolution of the Government was prompted by our recommendations. It stated  that, in order to attract foreign and local investors, the Government would publicly announce projects requiring investment of between USD 10 million and USD 200 million. The Government Resolution No.1 of 2009 entrusted to a number of Ministers and the National Development and Reform Committee the task of consolidating all issues pertaining to national development and submit a comprehensive report to the Government. The final result of this exercise is the present list of major projects. I don’t think it will make sense to talk about the significance of all the 26 projects separately and individually but two main overall guidelines were followed in identifying them.

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