Economic Policy Reform and Competitiveness Project (EPRC)
Chemonics
www.eprc–chemonics.biz
Trade Policy Support
Single Electronic Window for Foreign Trade Facilitation and Zamiin Uud Trans-shipment Center: Working meetings were held with the Consultative Council on Investment Climate and Private Sector Development to develop the agenda for the Oct. meeting. The agenda will focus on the SEW and the Zamiin Uud trans-shipment center with the intent to create separate companies to manage these efforts.
Financial Markets Support
Corporate governance: The project kicked off its corporate governance program with a short term consultancy to assess current Mongolian corporate governance practices and to recommend an implementation strategy and action plan. On 25 September, the project and the Mongolian Employers’ Federation (MONEF) organized a workshop for officers responsible for corporate governance compliance at eighteen Mongolian publicly traded companies and is planning a forum of senior executives of thirty leading Mongolian companies to be co-sponsored with the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) and the Financial Regulatory Commission (FRC) on 8 October 2008. The forum is expected to review current corporate governance practices, identify weaknesses and develop an action plan to improve awareness and compliance.
Zamiin Uud Logistics Park: Following up on the feasibility assessment completed in July, and with assistance of an international expert, the project began working on a business plan for the proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) to build and operate a logistics facility at Zamiin Uud on the border with the People’s Republic of China.
Business Development Support
Tourism promotion: On 18-21 September 2008 EPRC assisted Mongolian tour operators and the Mongolia National Tourism Organization (MNTO) in promoting Mongolia at the Japan Association of Travel Agents 2008 Tourism Trade Fair held in Tokyo. Following the trade fair MNTO hosted a reception at the Embassy of Mongolia to Japan for high level representatives of the Japanese external tourism industry. The initial result of the promotion is a number of follow up meetings scheduled for Oct.-Dec. in Mongolia.
Energy Sector Support
Energy sector financial status: The project continues to assist the ERA in implementing the remaining tasks in the approved Tariff Reform Plan in accordance with the schedule.
Competitive electricity market design: The project delivered a draft report entitled “Proposed Competitive Electricity Market Design for Mongolia’s Central Energy System” to the ERA that included the latter’s earlier comments. The project made a presentation on the report to the ERA and the five largest energy entities.
Development of the CHP #5 tender process and documents: The tender was issued via the Mongolian media on 1 August 2008. Proposals are due by 30 October 2008. Approximately twenty companies from China, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine have purchased the tender package. Twenty people subsequently attended the pre-bid meeting 16 September 2008.
Consensus Building, Public Education, and National Dialogue Support
Second program of the Open Government “Facts, Figures and Opinion” series under design: The project finished the script for the second program of the series. The program focuses on recent price increases regarding selected products, along with factors affecting the increase and what can be done to bring inflation under control.
Web access to “Facts, Figures & Opinions” and “Open Talks” TV program series videos: The project began production of 10-14 minute flash video highlights of the Open Talks program series to make them available through the Open Government and project websites. The last “Open Talks” program entitled ‘Is the Mongolia’s Silk Road fraying’ has been edited and will go into studio production in October. Flash video conversions of the first program of the “Open Talks” series—the December 2004 program featuring the previous Speaker of the House, Mr. Enkhbayar N., and the then Prime Minister, Mr. Elbegdorj Ts—and the first program of the “Facts, Figures & Opinions” series, on Ulaanbaatar heating issues, were completed and are now available on the project website.
Project management
Performance Management Plan: Per a recent contract amendment, EPRC submitted a Performance Management Plan to USAID on 18 September.
FY 2009 project work plan submitted: Per Contract Amendment # 14 that exercised the option to extend the project through 30 June 2011 and the requirement to shift to a fiscal year rather than a calendar year basis for project work plans, the project finalized and submitted the annual work plan for 1 October 2008 through 30 September 2009.
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