ADB approves $100 million loan to strengthen Mongolia’s disaster resilience

The Strengthening Mongolia’s Disaster Resilience Capacity Project will focus on improving the country’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural hazards by strengthening the capacity of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and local communities.

The project will finance modern firefighting vehicles and equipment, strengthen search and rescue operations, and upgrade NEMA’s Integrated Disaster Management System. The upgrades will incorporate digital technologies, including geographic information systems, remote sensing, artificial intelligence-based tools and enhanced early warning capabilities.

Disasters caused by natural hazards are becoming more frequent and severe across Mongolia, threatening lives, livelihoods, and long-term development, said ADB Country Director for Mongolia John Juhyun Jeong. He said the project would help reduce economic losses and build more resilient communities by improving disaster preparedness, emergency response and risk information systems.

Mongolia faces increasing risks from dzuds, droughts, floods, wildfires and earthquakes. Between 2015 and 2024, more than 40,500 natural hazard-related disasters were recorded in the country, resulting in 726 deaths, the loss of 11.5 million livestock and estimated economic losses of MNT 1.9 trillion ($540 million).

ADB said Mongolia’s disaster management systems continue to face challenges, including fragmented risk information, limited emergency equipment and insufficient early-response capacity in some areas.

Under the project, which is expected to run through 2031, 200 community volunteer groups in high-risk areas across 120 soums will be trained and equipped to support local disaster preparedness and emergency response.

The initiative will also promote greater participation and leadership by women in disaster preparedness and response activities. In addition, a national emergency response training center will be established to provide modern training in disaster preparedness and resilience to natural hazards.

ADB’s financing package comprises a $48.5 million regular ordinary capital resources loan and a $51.5 million concessional ordinary capital resources loan. The project will also receive $16.61 million in counterpart financing from the Government of Mongolia.

Earlier, Qazinform reported ADB approved a $3 million grant to combat violence against women and children in Mongolia.