DISCUSSION HELD ON WTO PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS IN MONGOLIA
Following his meeting with Roberto Azevedo, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga familiarized with the functions of the Organization and implementation progress of some projects.
During the discussion, Onon Sukhbaatar, A Mongolian staff member of the Standard and Trade Development Facility of the World Trade Organization, introduced about projects being implemented in the area of food safety.
For instance, the Standard and Trade Development Facility is implementing a project worth USD 400 thousand in four soums of Arkhangai and Uvurkhangai Aimags, and after the successful completion of the initial phase, USD 21 million aid will be granted for the next phase. About the project, Ms. Onon said, “In accordance with a project document Mongolia submitted in 2017, the assistance project is being implemented in four soums. The project aims to improve livestock and animal health and increase Mongolia’s meat export. In frames of the project, the livestock database will be upgraded. If the pilot project proves efficient, the World Bank expressed its willingness to grant USD 21 million non-refundable aid for continuation of the project.” Ms. Onon also stressed that public-private sector cooperation was crucial for continuation of the project and that Mongolia needs to coordinate its internal standards with those of the World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health.
At the end of the meeting, President Battulga spoke briefly about his food standard policy priorities and underlined the importance of close cooperation between the public and private sectors in completing the project successfully.
