Mongolians Abroad Need Financial Reasons to Come Back
According to our President, Ts. Elbegdorj, at the present time the key to economic and social development in Mongolia is to increase the Mongolian population. A couple of months ago he made a very nationalistic and emotionally-moving speech directed at the Mongolian population living and working abroad, saying, “Come back home and let us live and flourish together.”
The President has a point as Mongolia’s current economic status is much more promising than it was a few years ago with the many new mining and construction developments and mineral export-funded projects being initiated all over Mongolia. When a new democratic Government was elected in 1990, Mongolia’s economy collapsed and was in a state of distress, albeit an apparent bright future was on the horizon. At the same time new policies were created and it became easier to travel to foreign countries, triggering a mass immigration from Mongolia to other places in the world.
To some, the entire population of the Mongolian people is less than “a small city in China.” That may or may not be true, but it definitely says something. One of the major focuses of the Government right now is to increase the Mongolian population as quickly as possible with several projects geared to facilitate these underway — including paying new mothers and couples cash handouts directly from the State. The law and regulations on honorary mothers has been reviewed and resulted in it being easier to earn State-issued medals for having just a few children. It also has come into focus that some of the projects we as a country are supposed to be tackling for an improved standard of living shall require having higher population in order to be more efficient or to yield profits from the investments made. For example, according to research initiated by a company in China, Ulaanbaatar would need at least 10 million people in order to build an efficiently-run railway system.
The high-tech census conducted by the National Statistical Office of Mongolia in 2010 indicates that Mongolia’s current population is 2,754,685. Mongolians living abroad are estimated at 107,410. This means that 3.9% of the total of the Mongolian population is living in other countries. This also suggests that the 3.9% of the population abroad is not contributing to the economy of Mongolia; not directly, anyway.
So the current situation is simple: we need more Mongolians working out there to hasten our development, to give us more ideas, and to provide greater diversity. The Government is already doing its part, and we just need a little push from the people.
There have been some extreme measures suggested by various people—ranging from researchers to media outlets—such as nullifying one’s Mongolian citizenship if a Mongolian decides to live in a foreign country for too long a period of time.
This is not necessary as we cannot force such things on people living abroad, just like we cannot force feed meat to a vegetarian. The Mongolian Government needs to give those Mongolians in foreign countries a solid reason to come back to Mongolia through strong economic development and polices geared toward the development of human resources in order to encourage them to work and live in Mongolia with their families.
Several months ago, we reported that Mongolian employees based at a foreign Rio Tinto office are coming to Mongolia to work at Oyu Tolgoi . This is the evidence of the new trend. If the financial opportunity is present, Mongolians will definitely take the chance. Mongolia has no violent political turmoil (for now at least), no ideological or religious persecution to victimize its people, and is the fastest growing economy in the world at present. So in short, people abroad have all the right reasons to come back. Yet, however much they might miss their country or family, the majority of them will not budge if a decent financial motive is not part of it.
When the new continent of America was discovered, it was then viewed that the most courageous and exceptional individuals of Europe had decided to move there, despite the mysterious and unknown problems that were awaiting them. Nonetheless, those that made their decisions and took the necessary risks became united in order to eventually become one of the greatest economies in the world.
This conception can lead us to think that probably the most distinguished and exceptional individuals of Mongolia, who correctly thought that their labor would be valued a whole lot more in other countries, would venture into foreign developed countries for better opportunities and lives for themselves and their children.
With their creativity, ambition, and ability to see opportunities at hand, Mongolia just might become the next great economy of the world.
Short URL: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/?p=1356
The President has a point as Mongolia’s current economic status is much more promising than it was a few years ago with the many new mining and construction developments and mineral export-funded projects being initiated all over Mongolia. When a new democratic Government was elected in 1990, Mongolia’s economy collapsed and was in a state of distress, albeit an apparent bright future was on the horizon. At the same time new policies were created and it became easier to travel to foreign countries, triggering a mass immigration from Mongolia to other places in the world.
To some, the entire population of the Mongolian people is less than “a small city in China.” That may or may not be true, but it definitely says something. One of the major focuses of the Government right now is to increase the Mongolian population as quickly as possible with several projects geared to facilitate these underway — including paying new mothers and couples cash handouts directly from the State. The law and regulations on honorary mothers has been reviewed and resulted in it being easier to earn State-issued medals for having just a few children. It also has come into focus that some of the projects we as a country are supposed to be tackling for an improved standard of living shall require having higher population in order to be more efficient or to yield profits from the investments made. For example, according to research initiated by a company in China, Ulaanbaatar would need at least 10 million people in order to build an efficiently-run railway system.
The high-tech census conducted by the National Statistical Office of Mongolia in 2010 indicates that Mongolia’s current population is 2,754,685. Mongolians living abroad are estimated at 107,410. This means that 3.9% of the total of the Mongolian population is living in other countries. This also suggests that the 3.9% of the population abroad is not contributing to the economy of Mongolia; not directly, anyway.
So the current situation is simple: we need more Mongolians working out there to hasten our development, to give us more ideas, and to provide greater diversity. The Government is already doing its part, and we just need a little push from the people.
There have been some extreme measures suggested by various people—ranging from researchers to media outlets—such as nullifying one’s Mongolian citizenship if a Mongolian decides to live in a foreign country for too long a period of time.
This is not necessary as we cannot force such things on people living abroad, just like we cannot force feed meat to a vegetarian. The Mongolian Government needs to give those Mongolians in foreign countries a solid reason to come back to Mongolia through strong economic development and polices geared toward the development of human resources in order to encourage them to work and live in Mongolia with their families.
Several months ago, we reported that Mongolian employees based at a foreign Rio Tinto office are coming to Mongolia to work at Oyu Tolgoi . This is the evidence of the new trend. If the financial opportunity is present, Mongolians will definitely take the chance. Mongolia has no violent political turmoil (for now at least), no ideological or religious persecution to victimize its people, and is the fastest growing economy in the world at present. So in short, people abroad have all the right reasons to come back. Yet, however much they might miss their country or family, the majority of them will not budge if a decent financial motive is not part of it.
When the new continent of America was discovered, it was then viewed that the most courageous and exceptional individuals of Europe had decided to move there, despite the mysterious and unknown problems that were awaiting them. Nonetheless, those that made their decisions and took the necessary risks became united in order to eventually become one of the greatest economies in the world.
This conception can lead us to think that probably the most distinguished and exceptional individuals of Mongolia, who correctly thought that their labor would be valued a whole lot more in other countries, would venture into foreign developed countries for better opportunities and lives for themselves and their children.
With their creativity, ambition, and ability to see opportunities at hand, Mongolia just might become the next great economy of the world.
Short URL: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/?p=1356
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