Latest News
Australia signs partnership agreement with The Asia Foundation (TAF) to enhance women's climate resilience in Mongolia
26 August 2024
Ulaanbaatar. The Australian Embassy and The Asia Foundation (TAF) signed a partnership agreement to strengthen women’s networks and movements for climate justice, increase women’s economic empowerment, and increase women’s access to green financing.
Signing on behalf of the Australian Government was HE Ms Katie Smith, Australian Ambassador to Mongolia, while Ms Sara Taylor, Country Representative signed on behalf of The Asia Foundation in Mongolia.
The Australian Government is making a contribution of AUD 2.5 million to the Women’s Climate Resilience project, which will commence in August 2024 for the duration of the next five years.
Click HERE for more information.
Applications sought for grants under the Mongolia Direct Aid Program 2024-25
The Australian Embassy is inviting interested organisations to submit applications for grants under the Direct Aid Program (DAP).
DAP is a small grants program funded from Australia's aid budget. It has the flexibility to work with local communities in developing countries on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia's national interest.
In 2024-25, the Mongolia DAP will aim to fund projects that support the Australian Government’s international policy objectives in Mongolia and will consider funding a range of sectors – with the following as priority:
- Agriculture – focusing on horticulture, rangeland, livestock and livelihoods,
- Climate Change – focusing on environmental protection, disaster prevention and response, measures to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts, and addressing climate risks,
- Education/youth – focusing on access to education for rural and marginalised adults and children, children with special needs, promotion of education opportunities and social inclusion, research and scientific studies, and youth empowerment,
- GEDSI – focusing on gender equality, disability equity, social inclusion, and protection of women, children and the most disadvantaged,
- Health/hygiene – focusing on prevention and management of the spread of disease and mental illness, rural and community health and wellbeing, and access to water, and medical and hygiene services,
- Human Rights – focusing on rights of children, people with disability, and LGBTQI+ community, freedom of opinion and expression, privacy and personal security, recognition and respect of human dignity, elimination of discrimination, and access to health, education and social services.
Click HERE for more information.
Australia signs partnership agreement with German Development Cooperation (GIZ) to support technical and vocational education and training in Mongolia
The Australian Embassy and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed a partnership agreement on 11 June 2024 to jointly support the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector in Mongolia. The “Cooperative TVET II” (cTVET II) project builds on the result of the cTVET I project, implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in close cooperation with Mongolian Ministry of Education and Science.
In addition to 2 million EUR provided by the German Government; the Australian Government is contributing AUD 2.4 million to the project from the 1st of July 2024 for the duration of two years.
Click HERE for full press release.
Australia and Mongolia hold 5th Senior Officials’ Talks in Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar. The 5th Senior Officials’ Talks between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and the Government of Australia was held in Ulaanbaatar on 9 April 2024. The meeting was chaired by Mr Ankhbayar Nyamdorj, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia; Ms Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, led Australia’s delegation – which included senior representatives from Australia’s Department of Defence, Home Affairs and the Trade and Investment Commission.
Click HERE for full press release.
Latitude Financial Services data breach
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is aware of a cyber incident impacting Latitude Financial Services.
Copies of approximately 103,000 identity documents have been stolen from Latitude Financial. This includes a small number of passports.
Latitude Financial Services is contacting impacted customers directly and continues to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the cyber-attack.
Foreign passports were also compromised through this cyberattack. If Latitude Financial Services have advised you that your foreign passport information was compromised, you should contact the government that issued the passport for advice on what to do.
Impacted passports are still safe to use for international travel. Your passport number cannot be used to obtain a new passport. Robust controls are used to protect passports from identity takeover, including sophisticated facial recognition technology. Further information on how your passport may be impacted can be found on the APO website(link is external).
Advice on safeguarding your personal information can be found on the APO’s webpage on protecting against scams and identity theft(link is external).
Customers can also seek help from IDCare(link is external), a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in providing advice and support to the Australian community in responding to identity theft.
Advice on how to protect yourself and your family from cyber security incidents is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s (ACSC) webpage at: www.cyber.gov.au(link is external)
For more information, visit our FAQ.
Direct Aid Program projects selected in 2022-2023
Thank you to all who applied for 2022-2023 Direct Aid Program Funding support. We received 207 applications in total and have selected the following thirteen applications. It was very challenging for us to select the list for funding out of highly competitive proposals. We thank organisations that argued passionately for their projects but who were unsuccessful this time.
Congratulations to the thirteen organisations that have received grants for 2022-2023 Direct Aid Program. These organisations come from a wide range of sectors (health, disability inclusiveness, environment, gender and human rights, disaster management) and regions (Ulaanbaatar, Bulgan, Govi Altai, Sukhbaatar and Bayankhongor).
The successful applicants are listed below:
1. National Center for Maternal and Child Health: Enhancing pediatric care through training by physicians tailored education program of Australia
2. Save the Children Japan, Mongolia Office: Strengthening capacity of pediatric trauma care and child first aid responses in rural areas
3. National Institute for Disaster Management: Integrated data collection middle ware system in disaster management
4. Red Cross Branch of Govi-Altai: Providing shelter for victims of violence
5.Little Scientist NGO: Capacity building for teachers and trainers to assist children with special needs
6.Bayankhongor Governor’s Office: Medical health care services to herders in Bayankhongor province
7. We are Smart Community: Responsive Arkhangai
8. Christina Nobel Children’s Foundation: Empowering youth with knowledge and information about sexual and reproductive health
9. National Center Against Violence: Friendly kit
10. Tugs Tsetseikhen: Green future
11. Mongolian Blind Football Federation: Improve social awareness of blind football and its existence
12. Business Development Center of Uvurkhangai Province: Sustainable labour support income and job generation in Uvurkhangai province
13. Bulgan Manlailal: Increased local awareness to prevent sexual abuse of girls and protect children in Bulgan province
Subscribing to Smartraveller
Smartraveller has the latest, authoritative travel advice so you can be informed and prepared about overseas travel and updates to the process. Subscribe to receive travel advice updates by simply supplying your name and email address – straight to your inbox.
You can now also subscribe to the new SMS service - by supplying your mobile number – to receive critical alerts in the event of a crisis overseas.
In a crisis, Smartraveller will activate a crisis page on its website. It will make it easier for you or someone you know to contact the Australian Government if you need help. It will supplement the consular emergency hotline.
Visit www.smartraveller.gov.au to subscribe or connect with Smartraveller on Facebook and Twitter.
Australian nationals eligibile for Mongolian e-visa
Australian nationals are now eligible to apply for a Mongolian e-visa through evisa.mn/main. Applicants for an e-visa are no longer required to visit the Mongolian Embassy in Canberra and will receive their e-visa by email.
Through the electronic system, applicants will be able to obtain visas for the purposes of tourism (K2), participating in sports, culture and arts events (K4), and transit (K6).
Visit evisa.mn/main for more information.
Alumni stories
Strengthening SMEs and introducing digital marketing in Mongolia
Throughout the world, Australia Awards alumni make positive changes in a variety of markets and sectors. One Mongolian alumna who should be highlighted is Sarantuya Baasankhuu - who is contributing to improving digital marketing options for Mongolian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In Mongolia, SMEs make up 98 per cent of all enterprises, and they face many obstacles to unlocking their full potential, including access finance and digital marketing systems.
Developing a new and better SME structure and marketing strategy is one way of helping SMEs fully utilise their potential and to better market their products both domestically and internationally. Currently Sarantuya, through her mentoring program, is using her Australia Awards experiences to directly mentor business owners of Mongolian public and private SMEs including Booklo – online bookstore, Ur Mine – kids cashmere, Huugiin Gutal – male handmade leather shoes, and Torhondoi – wooden barrels.
In Australia, she studied a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Monash University through her Australia Awards Scholarship – a two-year study program involving experience-based modules, consulting projects, and overseas learning and industry engagement opportunities. In addition to building her management knowledge and skills through the degree, Sarantuya’s exposure to company management practices was enhanced during a 2018 visit to Germany with mentors at the Amazon Fulfillment Center.
Click here to read the fully story.
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Further information
For information on the Australian Aid Program, including the Australian Awards Scholarship Program, please click the following links:
You can find the latest information on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on following websites:
