Mongolian Electoral and Parliamentary Support Project (MEPS) Update
International Republican Institute (IRI)

SO2: MORE EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE
posted by Skip Waskin on Thursday, May 18, 2006, 3:09AM

IRI Program Director John Poepsel leaves for new job. On April 6, IRI’s Country Director for Mongolia, John Poepsel, left Mongolia to take over IRI operations in East Timor. He will be sorely missed. IRI Political Program Coordinator Urnukh served as Acting Director throughout April, and took part in a meeting organized by the U.S. Embassy in honor of U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Keith.

MPs agree to discuss ethics draft rule during spring session. On April 13, at the morning floor session of the State Great Hural (SGH), a majority of MPs (~60%) voted to debate the Ethics Draft rule for Members of Parliament during the spring session. Throughout the rest of the month, IRI staff were in regular contact with a recently formed Working Group headed by MP Tsanjid and closely monitored the debates and meetings on the draft ethics rule.

IRI staff meet with head of Parliament’s policy analysis and research body. On April 17, IRI staff met with Mr. Bayar, Scientific Secretary to the Policy Analysis Institute (PAI), to discuss coordination of SGH and PAI activities. Mr. Bayar briefed IRI on the current activities of the Institute. On April 28, IRI received detailed information about challenges, problems, opportunities and other issues from PAI.

First Women’s Forum Bulletin printed. In April, IRI staff met with the chairs of the Women’s Organizations of the MPRP, DP, Citizen’s Will Party and Motherland Party to discuss the contents of the First Women’s Forum Bulletin. IRI funded printing of some 10,000 bulletins, and political parties’ women’s organizations will distribute the bulletins in May.

Mongolian Electoral and Parliamentary Support Project (MEPS) Update
International Republican Institute (IRI)

SO2: MORE EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE
posted by Skip Waskin on Monday, April 17, 2006, 4:05AM

Meeting with MP Dondog: On March 13, IRI staff met MP Dondog, Chairman of the State Structure Committee and one of the major MPs working to establish independent committees within the SGH—an idea suggested by IRI. MP Dondog said that ethical rules for MP's have been scheduled for discussion during the spring session of the State Great Hural (SGH), and that the Committee Rules provisions are likely to be discussed during the spring session.

Meeting with US Embassy, USAID and Key Women Politicians: On March 16, IRI helped the US Embassy organize a meeting between U.S. Ambassador Slutz and USAID Representative Waskin with the chairs of the women’s organizations of the MPRP, Democratic Party (DP), Citizen’s Will Party, and Motherland Party. The chairs briefed the Ambassador on plans for a “Women’s Partnership in Politics and Governance” forum in 2006, and exchanged opinions on the current political situation in Mongolia. The challenges and opportunities facing women politicians in light of the passage of 30% quota for women candidates’ provision in SGH election law were also discussed.

Work with Key Women Politicians: On March 23, IRI met with the chairs of the women’s organizations of the MPRP, DP, Citizen’s Will Party, and Motherland Party to discuss issues of mutual cooperation for the second quarter of 2006. It was agreed at the meeting to publish and distribute the first “Women in Mongolian Politics” quarterly bulletin in late April. IRI will fund the printing of 8000-10000 bulletins, and the political parties will be responsible for distribution of the bulletins to women activists and for publicizing the “Women’s Partnership in Politics and Governance” forum.

Campaign Finance Proposal: In March, IRI held several meetings with the Chair of the Voter’s Education Center (VEC) to finalize the VEC’s proposal to IRI for an “Assessment of Campaign Finance legislation of Mongolia” and recommendations for implementing the campaign finance legislation.

Conflict of Interest: IRI worked on a manual entitled “MP’s Ethics: Conflict of Interest”. The manual was printed in late March and it includes speeches delivered by then-Chair of the Standing Committee on State Structure MP S.Batbold, and Maryland General Assembly Ethics Advisor Bill Sommerville. Fifty copies of the manual will be distributed to MPs in April.