LocationsEuropean Union and UNDP enhance results-based budget awareness in Mongolia's media
March 22, 2024
Ulaanbaatar, 22 March 2024 – Over 30 media specialists and journalists from leading Mongolian media and press institutions improved their knowledge and understanding on result-based budgeting and planning during a full-day interactive workshop and gained practical skills to analyze, present, and disseminate accurate information regarding state budgeting.
UNDP’s "SDG Aligned Budgeting to Transform Employment in Mongolia" project, funded by the European Union, co-organized the workshop with Mongolia’s Economic Journalists’ club with senior decision-making officials of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Budget, Ministry of Finance and Budget Sustainability Council of Mongolia.
Result-based budgeting and planning is an essential tool that helps ensure public funds are utilized transparently, efficiently, and responsibly forming a solid foundation of trust between the public and decision-makers and serving as a crucial element in enhancing the quality of life for citizens. Empowering media to play a vital role in promoting transparency, accountability, and public awareness of effective budgetary processes is vital to success of this system-wide reforms.
Ms. Mungunchimeg Sanjaa, Deputy Minister of Finance, emphasized "We have set a crucial objective to integrate and align our budgetary system with the principles of results-based budgeting, which have been successfully implemented in other countries. This reform is expected to significantly contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and Vision 2050—a long-term development strategy endorsed by the Parliament in 2020" during her opening remarks.
Her Excellency Axelle Nicaise, Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia, highlighted the importance of media in advocating for transparent and accountable governance and stated, “The European Union upholds media freedom and pluralism as pillars of modern democracy and enablers of free and open debate. Media plays a crucial role in public finance management by shedding light on fiscal affairs, fostering transparency, informing the public, and holding authorities accountable for the benefit of society.”
Ms. Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Mongolia, echoed the Ambassador’s sentiment and stated, “Budget transparency and accountability is a critical topic that affects all Mongolians and the development trajectory of the country. Media fulfills the crucial role of informing the public while ensuring the government is transparent and accountable. But doing so requires deliberate effort and investment to analyze and report budget data. Thus, with this event, we aim to provide media specialists with key knowledge and information to analyze, present, and disseminate on the topic of state budgeting and planning.”
During the panel discussions, participants including the economists, researchers, decision-makers and media specialists had insightful discussions about current budget-related issues, emerging development initiatives such as result based management, and long-term sustainability of budgeting and planning.
Moreover, journalists had the opportunity to learn about the latest communication techniques and tools used for covering economic and financial news such as communicating through explanatory journalism; using Artificial Intelligence and Reels for news coverage, and how to how to make international media pitches.
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About European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries. It is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It acts globally to promote sustainable development of societies, environment and economies, so that everyone can benefit.
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
For further inquiries:
Otgongerel Kh., Project Communications Officer (otgongerel.khalzanbanid@undp.org)
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