Category Archives: JD Mining Governance

Institutionalized Role for State in Emerging Resource Economies

By Julian Dierkes The workshop on “The State’s Role in Large Resource Projects” CIRDI recently co-organized with the International Cooperation Fund of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was designed as an opportunity for Mongolians to share their experience in … Continue reading

Posted in Afghanistan, Canada, CIRDI, International Cooperation Fund, JD Mining Governance, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Mining Governance, Mongolia and ..., Myanmar | Tagged | Leave a comment

Information about CIRDI’s Mongolia Project

By Julian Dierkes iPolitics’ James Munson recently published an article that is critical of the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI) in a number of important aspects: project selection, information about projects, and broader issues about Canadian development assistance, … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Development, JD Mining Governance | Tagged | Leave a comment

Education about Extractives to Alleviate Poverty

By Julian Dierkes As we continue the “IMAGinE Mongolia” work on drafting a curriculum for providing basic and more advanced knowledge of the extractive sector, there are a number of challenges we’re running into in discussions with colleagues from the … Continue reading

Posted in Aimags, CIRDI, Countryside, Development, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy, Regulation, Water | Tagged | Leave a comment

Resource Nationalism?

By Julian Dierkes One of the dominant foreign views of Mongolian politics is that they’re rife with “resource nationalism”. This perspective is reproduced in many conversations with people in the mining or financial industry and is often repeated by visiting … Continue reading

Posted in Foreign Investment, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mongolia and ..., Nationalism, Policy, Politics, Populism, Social Movements | Tagged | 4 Comments

Training about the Extractives Sector

By Julian Dierkes One of the specific focus areas in CIRDI’s “IMAGinE Mongolia” activities is to draft a training curriculum to provide an introduction and overview, but also specialized training to the public and to officials in four aimags, Selenge, … Continue reading

Posted in CIRDI, Countryside, Development, Education, Environment, Higher Education, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Mining Governance | Tagged | 2 Comments

Oyu Tolgoi on Track Again

By Julian Dierkes Last week, this is what I tweeted AUS article abt possible progress on #OyuTolgoi negotiatons (http://t.co/ARV73N2xS6) got me thinking abt analysis for day after agreement. — Julian Dierkes (@jdierkes) May 14, 2015 It looks like the day … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Foreign Investment, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Arbitration Award to Khan Resources

By Julian Dierkes On Mar 2 2015 it was announced that erstwhile Canadian uranium miner Khan Resources was awarded US$100mio in arbitration proceedings administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague (Netherlands). The proceedings were rooted in … Continue reading

Posted in Canada, Foreign Investment, International Agreements, International Relations, JD Mining Governance, Mining | Tagged | Leave a comment

Feeling (Politically) Pessimistic for Coming Year

By Julian Dierkes It is Tsagaan Sar, so happy new year to all of Mongolia and to Mongolians! Сар шинэдээ сайхан шинэлээрэй What will the year of the sheep bring? The sheep Gestalt (зурхай) seems to expect a windy Spring and … Continue reading

Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Democratic Party, Economics, Elections, Foreign Investment, Governance, Ikh Khural 2016, Inflation, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Mongolian People's Party, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics, Policy, Politics, Populism, Security Apparatus | Tagged | 2 Comments

Poll Results – Direct and Indirect

By Julian Dierkes PM Saikhanbileg has announced the results of the mega-projects vs austerity SMS poll. This announcement is important because we learn about this particular direct democracy initiative, but also because it included an announcement of proposals to revise … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Foreign Investment, Governance, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Politics, Public Opinion | Tagged | 2 Comments

Digital Democracy: PM Saikhanbileg’s Policy Choice SMS Poll

By Julian Dierkes This week Prime Minister Ch Saikhanbileg has posed a question to Mongolians on television and he is asking them to reply by SMS. There are examples of direct involvement by the electorate in political decisions, of course … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Governance, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics, Public Opinion, Social Media, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | 9 Comments

A Personal Wishlist for the Saikhanbileg Government

By Julian Dierkes As we’re anticipating a cabinet to be formed under PM Saikhabileg and it now seems likely that a grand coalition (DP + MPP) or a super coalition (DP + MPP + Justice Coalition + CWGP) or some … Continue reading

Posted in Constitution, Corruption, Democracy, Foreign Policy, Higher Education, JD Democratization, JD Mining Governance, Oyu Tolgoi, Party Politics, Politics, Social Issues | Tagged | Leave a comment

If not an SWF then what?

At the recent World Economic Forum’s “Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Mongolia” I heard a lot of talk about the need for the Mongolian government to shed its direct involvement in the economy, but also the recommendation to rely … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Development, Diversification, Economics, Foreign Investment, JD Mining Governance, Sovereign Wealth Fund | Tagged | 5 Comments

Solutions to the Current Economic Crisis?

Previously, I have written about economic and political aspects of the challenges currently facing Mongolia. Right now, the economic situation seems a bit like a “wicked problem” or a quagmire, and I see relatively little cause for short-term optimism, but … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Development, Economics, Foreign Investment, Governance, Inflation, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining, Policy, Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

Anatomy of the Current Economic Crisis

Having spent last week in Ulaanbaatar, it is clear to me that the current crisis is a) more severe than I had thought, and b) more real/less perceived than I had thought. Below, I try to list elements in this … Continue reading

Posted in Business, China, Corruption, Development, Economics, Foreign Investment, Governance, Inflation, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy, Politics | Tagged | 3 Comments

Mongolia Buffeted by Global Winds

[For another version of  observations of the current situation in Mongolia, see my piece in the Wall Street Journal Asia on September 13. This piece has been  posted on the World Economic Forum blog as well.] For most of the … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Development, Foreign Investment, Governance, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Policy | Tagged | Leave a comment