Mongolian Mining Minister D.Gankhuyag's remarks at PDAC;

Mining Minister welcomes FDI at Mongolia@PDAC, says parliament will deal
with "discrepancies" in laws; his PowerPoint is at <http://www.nambc.org>
www.nambc.org; Ambassador Piper Campbell reviews Mongolia-US relations in
NUM speech; March 17 is deadline for 10% registration discount for Ottawa
AGM, April 22-23; Asia Foundation's Mongolia Director to speak on
anti-corruption, environmental issues, March 13, Washington, DC; free but
RSVP requested; National Capital Mongolian School Fundraiser Concert and
Buffet Dinner is March 22, Arlington, VA; Zorig Foundation Executive
Director selected as one of 10 Fellows in first Asia Foundation Emerging
Asian Leadership Program

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Mining Minister warmly welcomes foreign investment at Mongolia@PDAC, says
"discrepancies" in laws would be addressed by parliament; his PowerPoint
available online -- In remarks at the Mongolia@PDAC conference in Toronto on
March 4, Mining Minister Gankhuyag Davaajav warmly welcomed foreign mining
investment, saying Mongolia's goal was to offer investors "firm
sustainability of politics, economics and legal environment." Over 130
people registered for the Second Annual Mongolia@PDAC conference - almost
double last year's attendance -- organized by the Canadian Government and
the NAMBC. The Minister's PowerPoint presentation will be posted presently
at www.nambc.org

The Minister candidly admitted Mongolia had made mistakes affecting foreign
investment in the past but that it would "never repeat" them.. He also said
that the moratorium on new mining exploration licenses, first imposed in
June 2010, might be ended as the result of Minerals Law amendments and other
legislation to be taken up during the spring session of parliament. Minister
Gankhuyag said parliament would address the "many discrepancies" in previous
mining laws including perhaps long-awaited revisions to the so-called "Long
Name Law" on mining near rivers and forests. 

The Minister did not directly address the issue of the106 exploration
licenses annulled last year as part of an investigation into corruption at
the Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia (MRAM). When asked about Oyu
Tolgoi LLC, the Minister several times said that all matters regarding Oyu
Tolgoi LLC would be resolved by its Board of Directors, which includes three
Mongolian directors, without involvement by the cabinet or parliament. In
Toronto, Minister Gankhuyag also met with the Honourable Ed Fast, Canada's
Minister of International Trade, and Ungad Chadda, senior vice president of
the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) who is responsible for all aspects of TSX's
listings business. 

Mongolia@PDAC is organized annually by the NAMBC, the Government of Canada
and the Canadian Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, joined this year by the Ministry of
Mining. Rio Tinto was the Premier Sponsor; Centerra was Gold Sponsor, and
both Firebird Management and Skypath Partners were Silver sponsors Our
partners included the Mongolian National Mining Association (MNMA), and the
Business Council of Mongolia (BCM).

Ambassador Campbell reviews Mongolia-US relations in NUM speech - US
Ambassador Piper A.W. Campbell delivered a comprehensive overview of
US-Mongolia relations in an address at the National University of Mongolia
on February 6, 2014, which is worthwhile reading. The full text of her
remarks is attached. 

Ambassador Campbell, a senior career Foreign Service Officer, presented her
credentials to President Elbegdorj on August 24, 2012. Before Mongolia, Ms.
Campbell served as the senior civilian representative of the US government
in southern Iraq. Her June 2011 - June 2012 tour included establishing the
US Consulate General in Basrah. Previously, Ms. Campbell worked as Chief of
Staff to then-Deputy Secretary of State Jacob Lew (later White House Chief
of Staff, now Treasury Secretary) and to Deputy Secretary of State Thomas
Nides. Ms. Campbell holds a Bachelor's degree from Georgetown University's
School of Foreign Service and a Master's degree from the Harvard Kennedy
School.

10% discount for NAMBC Ottawa AGM registrations received by March 17;
Government officials and prominent corporate leaders to speak, April 22-23
-- Registrations by members or non-members received by March 17 receive a
10% discount; by March 28, a 5% discount.. The absolute registration
deadline is April 10; thereafter, a late fee of US$75 per person is
assessed. For NAMBC members only, second and all other delegates from the
same company or organization receive a 25% discount. A registration form
follows at the bottom of this newsletter. 

Our AGMs alternate between Ottawa and Washington, DC, and are structured as
investors forums; non-members are welcomed. The program includes a roster of
experts, government officials and senior corporate executives from Mongolia,
Canada and the US. The AGM opens with a reception on Tuesday, April 22,
followed by a full day of speakers, panelists and discussion on Wednesday,
April 23. To reserve discounted NAMBC group rate rooms at the Courtyard
Marriott Ottawa, visit the link at <http://www.nambc.org> www.nambc.org for
online reservations at the discounted rate of C$159 + tax per night, or
phone (613) 241-1000 or 1-800-341-2210 - and be sure to mention the NAMBC
rate. April 5 is the cut-off for the guaranteed group rate.

Asia Foundation's Mongolia Director to speak on anti-corruption,
environmental issues, March 13, Washington, DC; free but RSVP requested - On
Thursday, March 13, 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM, Ms. Meloney Lindberg, the Asia
Foundation's Country Representative in Mongolia, will speak on
"Anti-Corruption and Environmental Protection: Where Things Stand in
Mongolia Today." Attendance is free but because space is limited, the hosts
ask that you RSVP to John Dwyer at
<mailto:codirector.usa@friendsofmongolia.org>
codirector.usa@friendsofmongolia.org.

This event is sponsored by the Friends of Mongolia NGO, the Mongolia
Society, and the SAIS Reischauer Center. The venue is Rome Building, Room
812, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins
University, 1619 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC.

Meloney Lindberg has been The Asia Foundation's (TAF) country representative
in Mongolia since 2008. She previously served as TAF deputy country
representative in Sri Lanka, where her focus was on the management of rule
of law programming. Ms. Lindberg was also TAF's deputy country
representative in Afghanistan from 2004 - 2008. Previously, she worked for
the consulting firm Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) managing a
multi-country study of women's organizations in post-conflict settings for
USAID. She has a B.A. in International Studies from Miami University, Ohio;
and an M.A. in International and Intercultural Management from the School
for International Training and World Learning in Vermont.

Mongolian School Fundraiser Concert and Buffet Dinner is March 22,
Arlington, VA - The Mongolian School of the National Capital Area invites
you to their annual fundraiser, which includes a Mongolian buffet and
concert, on Saturday, March 22, 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The buffet opens at 4:30
PM. The school suggests a $40 per person contribution for adults, $20 for
children under 10 years old; cash at the door or checks made payable to the
"Mongolian School of the National Capital Area." The venue is the Wilson
School, 1601 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209. Parking at the school is
free.

Food and Entertainment will include: Mongolian musical instruments,
dancers, Tsam Mask Dance and Mongolian Long Song; Mongolian milk tea and
authentic Mongolian cuisine, including steamed dumplings (buuz), fried beef
patties (khuushuur) and various salads and desserts. For further details or
to mail checks: Mr. Ariel Wyckoff, <mailto:ariel.wyckoff@gmail.com>
ariel.wyckoff@gmail.com, cell phone 202-294-6465, 3701 5th Street South,
#304, Arlington, VA 22204.

Zorig Foundation Executive Director selected as one of 10 Fellows in first
Asia Foundation Emerging Asian Leaders Program - Out of over 600 applicants
from more than 20 Asian countries, The Asia Foundation has selected Mr.
Badruun Gardi, 26, Executive Director of the Zorig Foundation, as one of 10
participants from nine Asian nations in the foundation's inaugural
"Development Fellows: Emerging Leadership for Asia's Future" program. The
Zorig Foundation is a member of the NAMBC. Badruun has been executive
director since 2011. He is a graduate of Stanford University.

The foundation describes the five men and five women appointed as "an
accomplished group of inspirational young professionals working in
government, nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and media." The
year-long program includes a customized Leadership Training Program in
Singapore; an applied Workshop on Asia Development in the Philippines;
individual projects, a mentoring program that links Fellows with experienced
Asian leaders and a capstone two-week leadership dialogue and exchange in
Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, coinciding with the Foundation's 60th
Anniversary celebrations.

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