MONGOLIA: PROVINCIAL COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 2015 IS RELEASED

Fourth annual provincial competitiveness survey released on March 30^th, 2016 during Mongolia Economic Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by The Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Center (EPCRC) and The Asia Foundation. Conducted in 2015, the survey ranks and compares Mongolia’s 21 provinces (aimags) to show their respective strengths and weaknesses. Since 2012, the Mongolia Provincial Competitiveness Survey has provided valuable data to inform the decisions and strategies of policymakers and businesses. It uses 180 criteria to rank Mongolia’s provinces in four main categories: economic performance, governance efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. The survey combines general and statistical data with the results of questionnaires distributed to the private sector by the EPCRC in collaboration with local chapters of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in each province. EPCRC, with generous support from The Asia Foundation, has created a website, www.aimagindex.mn, which displays findings from all four years of the survey online in both Mongolian and English. Visitors can compare economic competitiveness data between all 21 provinces using easy-to-read graphs and tables. By making the information easily accessible to all, the survey and website enhance transparency and provide an important tool for evidence-based advocacy and policy analysis. The Mongolia Provincial Competitiveness Survey also promotes public-private dialogue between the private sector and provincial authorities, and helps them identify ways to improve the local business environment.