planetGOLD Mongolia Project Steering Committee Holds Final Meeting

The final meeting of the planetGOLD Mongolia Project Steering Committee (PSC) was held on May 20, 2025, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Enkhmunkh Ganbold, Director of the Environmental Policy Implementation Department of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) of Mongolia. Participants included representatives from the MECC, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Bank of Mongolia, the Mongolian Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining National Federation, the Artisanal Gold Council, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which implements the project.

At the meeting, planetGOLD Mongolia project team reported on its activities in 2025, and informed the progress made in achieving the project's outcome targets.

In line with the agenda, members discussed the sustainability of the project’s results beyond its completion. They shared views on stakeholder roles and commitments to ensure the long-term impact of the project's interventions.

Committee members raised points regarding the repayment mechanism of the mercury-free gold ore processing facility established in Selenge province. They recommended that the Exit Strategy clearly outlines the involvement of local and relevant stakeholders in third-party monitoring. They also advised that it should specify what measures will be taken if responsibilities are not fulfilled.

Furthermore, members agreed that responsible actions outlined in the Exit Strategy should be assigned to institutional roles rather than individual names. This revision will be incorporated into the final decision document for approval.

The UNEP representative requested the support and participation of Steering Committee members in the upcoming terminal evaluation of the project.

The Steering Committee concluded that the 2025 activity report was satisfactory and advised stakeholders to develop and implement sustainability plans within their respective mandates. With this, the final meeting of the planetGOLD Mongolia Project Steering Committee was formally concluded.