On 7 October 2021, The United Nations Development Programme in Mongolia and the Governor’s Office of Arkhangai aimag start a strategic partnership to support the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via the tourism sector and women entrepreneurship. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Financing Agreement (FA) was signed with the  Governor of Arkhangai Aimag.  

UNDP is pleased to support Arkhangai aimag and the initiative of the Citizens Representative Hural to leverage its unique historic and cultural settings to accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth via the tourism sector. This is a continuation of UNDP’s efforts to integrate the SDGs into local development policy document and implement pilot projects to support the achievement of the SDGs agenda at the subnational level in Ulaanbaatar city, Orkhon aimag, and Zavkhan aimag. 

UNDP and Arkhangai aimag’s Governor’s Office will jointly conduct a feasibility study, training and workshops to develop historical and cultural tourism initiatives in Arkhangai aimag in line with the SDGs, Mongolia's Development Vision 2050, and development policies of the aimag. The partnership will also facilitate the “Herder women and food safety” programme, to support women entrepreneurship initiatives in the dairy sector. It is well recognised that Arkhangai’s dairy products are not only widely popular among the region, but also constitute the main source of income for herder women residing in the aimag. UNDP is confident that trainings on processing healthy dairy products are not only vital for herder families, but also the health and safety of consumers.

Mr.Batjargal, Governor of Arkhangai aimag expressed during the signing ceremony that in the local 2030 development policy, Arkhangai aimag has not included any mining related activities and will instead focus on promoting the aimag as an ecotourism centre. It was also added that the project is the first time Arkhangai aimag has dedicated a budget to promote women business owners/herders.  

Elaine Conkievich, Resident Representative of UNDP Mongolia highlighted Arkhangai aimag’s vision  to become an international centre of nomadic culture and tourism is inspirational. She stressed that ‘With the tourism sector heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative of Arkhangai aimag  become a model for other aimags to replicate as way to breathe new life into  recovery of the tourism industry.’

UNDP Mongolia thanks Arkhangai aimag for their initiative in leveraging historical and cultural tourism for sustainable and inclusive local development, and looks forward to building a long-term and strategic partnership to leave no one behind in the journey to building forward better.