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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The COVID-19 ERSDEL system, which provides an early warning of the risk of coronavirus infection, was installed and configured by 300,000 people in the first three days of its launch in Mongolia. According to Google and Apple, the penetration is faster than in other countries. When about 1 million people use it in our country, the introduction of this system will be effective and citizens will be able to protect themselves. This will greatly contribute to the health sector to reduce the spread of infection. HOW TO USE THE COVID-19 ERSDEL SYSTEM? If your phone has an android operating system, you will install the COVID-19 ERSDEL application on your phone. If you have iOS, go to your phone's Settings and enable Exposure Notification. Settings can be set to iOS 12.5 or 13.7 or later. Also, if you want to use this system in Mongolian, you will change your mobile phone system language to MONGOLIAN. If the result of your PCR test for a coronavirus infection is POSITIVE, a confirmation link from the State Emergency Commission will be sent to your mobile phone. Click on the confirmation link and let your close contacts to know that you have been infected with confidential information. Those notifications will be sent to the people who have been close to you for more than 15 minutes at a distance of 2 meters. Contact people can click on the link on their mobile phone, fill out a questionnaire, and decide whether to isolate themselves or get tested. In order to work on the system, you need to keep your Bluetooth on at all times. At this time, your location and personal information will not be collected or transmitted. HOW WAS THE COVID-19 ERSDEL SYSTEM INTRODUCED IN MONGOLIA? A.Amarbayar from Amazon and his team open-source Mongolian developers, contacted Apple and Google to express their interest to launch the system in Mongolia in November 2020. It continued successfully with the cooperation of organizations such as the Onom Foundation, Gerege Systems LLC, Communications and Information Technology Authority, and the Ministry of Health as well as State Emergency Commission and the System was introduced to the public in Mongolia in April 19, 2021.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) under the Communications and Information Technology Authority is a government special fund operating under the Law on Communications, the Law on Government Special Funds, and other relevant laws, rules, and regulations. It has been working to deliver ICT services, build new networks, and introduce, expand, and upgrade modern communication technologies to the citizens in remote areas. The USOF does not receive any funding from the state budget, but raises funds from legal entities engaged in telecommunications services and implements the above-mentioned projects. From 2009 to date, the fund has been used to introduce, expand and upgrade mobile communication networks at 339 places, deliver and improve internet services at 321 places, build one-stop communication buildings, communication towers, and fiber optic networks at 62 places, and improve the quality of postal services in 330 soums. Also, the Fund implemented a project to improve accessibility and organized training on basic information and communication technology for 330 soums in 21 aimags, as well as published and distributed more than 100,000 manuals and brochures. The amendment of the Law on Government Special Fund, which came into force on January 1, 2020, states that “9.2. The Universal service obligation fund shall be the source specified in Articles 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 of this law. 9.3. The funds to be collected from a legal entity engaged in telecommunications services specified in 9.2 of this Law shall be equal to 3 percent of the net profit after tax. ” clearly stated. In addition, the Government Resolution No. 205 of December 9, 2020 re-approved the “Rule for funding and expending of Universal Service Obligation Fund” and defined a “Legal Entity Providing Telecommunication Services” to the “Law on Business Licensing”, which states License holder specified in Article 15.16 of the Law, “Classification of all types of economic activities” 53 (Post, expenditure, messenger activity), 61 (Telecommunication), 62 (Computer programming, consulting and related activities) ), 63 (Information Service Activities). Prior to the enactment of the Law on Government Special Funds or before 2020, only companies licensed to provide telecommunications services raised funds, while the new version of the law generally categorizes telecommunications services as legal entities. Existing entities have been added to the scope of the law. This will increase the fund's resources and helps to finance many programs that were previously unresolved due to lack of funding, such as increase the use of information technology, improve digital literacy among citizens, and expand the ICT market. Furthermore, by order of the Head of the Cabinet Secretariat, a non-staff Supervisory Board consisting of 9 representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations has been established to monitor and recommend the activities of the Universal Service Obligation Fund. Note: The audit report and conclusion of the National Audit Office on the activities of the Universal Service Obligation Fund, as well as the detailed report on-budget funding and expenditure, and related information can be found on the website and transparent account information of the Authority.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]. Communications and Information Technology Authority has compiled statistics in a single window as part of its efforts to make the sector's operations and information more transparent to the public. The statistics provide information on E-Mongolia, an integrated public service system, mobile phone, and Internet usage, multi-channel TV services, and mobile phone users, as well as data on the sector's human resources and contribution to the economy. For example, the E-Mongolia system has 1,104,753 users since its introduction and multi-channel television user became 747,797. Smartphone users reached 3,405,966 out of total 4,363,919 mobile phone subscribers. The telecommunications and information technology sector is one of the priorities of the Mongolian economy. In the future, we are working to ensure the openness and transparency of the sector's activities and statistics, and to create a unified database of the sector. For statistical information, visit the official website of the CITA at www.cita.gov.mn ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Apple and Google, the world's largest providers of mobile operating systems, have teamed up to introduce the Exposure Notification system to contribute to the global fight against the Covid-19 epidemic. The system has a technological solution that does not collect, store or transmit any personal information such as name, number, location, and other personal information. Currently, the system is used by more than 130 million people in more than 60 countries to fight coronavirus infection and the State Emergency Committee of Mongolia has made it possible for our citizens to use the COVID-19 ERSDEL in Mongolian and English with the support of E-Mongolia. The COVID-19 ERSDEL system will allow citizens to be notified in a timely manner of possible coronavirus infection. It also plays a key role in facilitating the detection and surveillance of patients and contacts with coronavirus infection. How COVID-19 ERSDEL system works: Using Bluetooth technology creates random identifiers which are change every few minutes. Therefore, your phone needs to have Bluetooth turned on and it does not drain your battery. Information of location is not monitored or collected No personal information will be collected, stored, or shared. Mobile data does not require. You will be notified if you were close to an infected person and you might be infected. If you use an iPhone, on versions of iOs 12.5, 13.7, or later, the system can be found at Settings. For Android, you can download the COVID19 ERSDEL application from the Playstore. The system will be available next Monday, April 19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM7iHNP7dv8[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today, Facebook launched We Think Digital, a multi-phased awareness and educational campaign to help Mongolian internet users navigate the online world safely and responsibly, and cultivate responsible digital citizens with complete digital literacy. Created in partnership with Faro Foundation, Mongolia’s Ministry of Education and Science, and Communication and Information Technology Authority. We Think Digital features a wide range of online and offline initiatives over the course of this year, including free online training webinars, and educational content on the We Think Digital website. The program aims to train 10,000 local digital citizens by the end of the year. As a response to the urgent need for stronger digital literacy and digital citizenship, Facebook is bringing the global program “We Think Digital” to Mongolia for the first time. The program aims to teach people how to navigate their privileges and obligations in today’s evolving digital space, how they should decipher and share information online, and most importantly, how they should interact with other people in online communities. Facebook’s We Think Digital Program is the expansion of the Digital Literacy Library, which was also developed by Facebook and launched in Mongolia in 2019. We Think Digital is an extensive training program composed of eight modules covering topics such as digital citizenship, online safety, hate speech and bullying, privacy and cybersecurity, as well as misinformation. “We know our job is never done when it comes to online safety, and we will continue to build better tools, improve our policies, and partner with experts to ensure our platforms offer a safe and positive experience for our community,” said George Chen, Director of Public Policy at Facebook. “The launch of We Think Digital in Mongolia today shows our long-term commitment in people, technology, programs and partnerships, such as reducing the spread of misinformation and minimizing incidences of online harassment, to keep our communities closer together.” [caption id="attachment_60214" align="alignleft" width="300"] Picture 1. Director of Public Policy at Facebook George Chan[/caption] To commemorate the launch of the program, Facebook and its partners will hold a series of online webinars. For which, the Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene sent his regards and quoted, “We are excited for Facebook to launch its We Think Digital Program in Mongolia today. Mongolia has prioritized digital transformation this year, and this implementation is much time as the government sought to foster digital literacy in its education system. We extend our sincerest appreciation to Facebook for this imperative investment for our people. I am confident that we will continue collaborating with Facebook in many other ways to support Mongolia’s economic and social development.” [caption id="attachment_60216" align="alignright" width="300"] Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene[/caption] PM L. Oyun-Erdene officially delegated Chairwoman at Communication and Information Technology Authority B. Bolor-Erdene to represent the Government of Mongolia and quote him during the event. Apart from Faro Foundation, Facebook is also proud to have many supporting organizations for the We Think Digital launch in Mongolia, including the Faro Foundation, Ministry of Education and Science, Communication and Information Technology Authority, UNICEF, and Fact Check Mongolia. We Think Digital webinars  Starting from April 14, 2021, Facebook will host a series of live webinars covering relevant topics. Each webinar will feature advice and tips from industry leaders, experts, educators, and key opinion leaders to empower everyone to become a more informed and responsible digital citizen. [caption id="attachment_60213" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chairwoman at Communication and Information Technology Authority B. Bolor-Erdene[/caption] The first webinar will broadcast on April 4 at 1 P.M., hosting a representative of the Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene for opening remarks, followed by a panel discussion on “Digital Citizen” with four renowned community and industry leaders who will discuss the basics of what it means to hold a digital citizenship, and relevant topics to Mongolia’s digital transformation. The second webinar will be on April 28 at 1 P.M. and the guest of honor will be the Mongolian Minister of Education and Science L. Enkh-Amgalan, followed by a panel discussion on “Online Safety”. The webinar will be held on May 12 at 1 P.M. with opening remarks delivered by the U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia, His Excellency Michael S. Klecheski, followed by a panel discussion on “Misinformation”.   And the final webinar will be held on May 26 at 1 P.M. with the Guest of Honor Chairwoman at Communication and Information Technology Authority B. Bolor-Erdene, followed by a panel discussion on “Online Privacy”. All webinars can be viewed on the We Think Digital Mongolia Facebook Page. Online resources on wethinkdigital.fb.com In collaboration with experts, academics, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations, Facebook has designed a set of modules and resources for educators and members of the public to download for free. To download the resources, please visit https://wethinkdigital.fb.com/mn/mn-mn/resources/. Training for the Public From April to May, Facebook will implement a Digital Literacy program to provide training and support for teachers to implement digital literacy lessons at their own schools. The program is also open to the public. Stay tuned for more details through We Think Digital Mongolia Facebook Page. For more information, please visit: https://wethinkdigital.fb.com/mn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wethinkdigitalmn/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wethinkdigitalmn Media contacts: Facebook’s lead partner for We Think Digital in Mongolia: Byambajargal Ayushjav, Country Representative of Facebook and Founder of Faro Foundation Mongolia byambajargal@faro.mn[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Within the framework of the Smart Government project implemented by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia and the World Bank, an assessment of the current status of telecommunication universal service obligations and the revision of policy documents have begun. The client of this sub-project is the Communications and Information Technology Authority and the contractor is the Canadian consulting company “Intelecon” with experience in providing consulting services in this field. The “Contract Initiative Meeting” of the project stakeholders was held today and a consensus was reached on the project requirements, goals, work plan and cooperation. It has been more than 10 years since the Universal Service Obligation Fund was established. During this period, Mongolia's telecommunications infrastructure has expanded and remote communities have access to adequate telecommunications services. It is planned to complete the delivery of communication services to the target group by next year. In recent years, mobile operators, CITA, and other public organizations, NGOs as well as private organizations have stated that it is time to update the goals, activities, and policy documents of the USOF.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Launched on October 1, 2020, E-Mongolia now has 1 million users in six months. E-Mongolia system includes 316 government services so far and the Government of Mongolia is preparing to digitalize 592 government services within its first 100 days and to make the services available in Mongolian and English. The system includes additional official decisions and statistics from the State Emergency Committee, Capital Emergency Committee, and the Ministry of Health, as well as a Covid-19 vaccination certificate. Vaccination certificates are available both in English and Mongolian. Citizens can get public services from www.e-mongolia.mn and mobile applications.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Tuesday's meeting of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy, the draft law on ratification of the 10th Additional Protocol to the Constitution of Universal Postal Union submitted by the Government was discussed. Ts. Nyamdorj, Member of the Government, Minister of Mongolia, and Head of the Cabinet Secretariat, presented the initiator's report of this law. The Universal Postal Union /UPU/ is a specialized agency of the United Nations that organizes and develops the postal sector in order to create favorable conditions for the development of international cooperation, as well as to provide technical assistance and support to the postal sectors in the Member States. It currently has 192 Member States, with its headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, and its Asia-Pacific regional office in Bangkok, Thailand. The highest governing body of the Union is the Congress, which meets every four years to discuss and approve amendments to the Constitution of the Union, which are ratified by member states internally. Mongolia became a Member State of the Union in 1963 and signed the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union in 1964 in Vienna, Austria, and then ratified by the Parliament of the People's Republic of Mongolia in 1968. Subsequently, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Additional Protocols to the Constitution were ratified in 2002 by the Parliament, the 7th was in 2006, the 8th was in 2011 and the 9th Additional Protocol was ratified in 2019. In September 2018, the Third Extraordinary Congress of the UPU was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and approved the 10th Additional Protocol to the Constitution of the Union. The Minister highlighted in his report that the adoption of this Additional Protocol is an important issue for ensuring the sustainable development of the postal sector, improving the quality and efficiency of services, expanding international cooperation, ensuring the free exchange of parcels, introducing new techniques and technologies, as well as strengthening further cooperations. In connection with the initiator's report, Parliament Members such as B.Enkh-Amgalan, N.Altankhuyag, and Kh.Badelkhan expressed their support for the ratification of the Additional Protocol to the Constitution of the UPU and asked for some clarifications and received answers from the Working Group. The 10th Additional Protocol of the Union established the Administrative Council for decision-making and the Postal Operations Council for permanent activities. It is now possible that the Members States to send the observers to this Council meeting. The Working Group mentioned that the postal organizations of Mongolia will be able to strengthen their relations and cooperation with the UPU, implement safety standards, introduce new techniques and technologies, and train and retrain specialists. Currently, there are about 70 postal companies in Mongolia, 44 of which are actively operating. The total revenue of the telecommunications and information technology sector in 2020 was 1.334 billion MNT, of which 1.6 percent was revenue from the postal service. According to the Parliament's Media and Public Relations Department, there were no comments from Parliament Members on the draft law and 68.8 percent of the Members present at the Standing Committee meeting supported the adoption of the draft law on ratification of the 10th Additional Protocol to the Constitution of the UPU.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Yesterday, the draft law on cybersecurity was discussed publicly. The draft law is scheduled to be discussed at the Parliament Session within 2021. S.Tengis, Head of the Secretariat of the National Committee for e-Development, B.Bilegdemberel, Head of the Information Security Division of CITA and other officials from General Intelligence Agency, State Registration Agency, National Data Center, National Statistics Office, Information Technology Center of Education, Association of Mongolian Banks, Information and Communication Network Company, Horiult LLC, Huawei Technology LLC, Security Solutions, Service, Consulting LLC, ICT Training Center, Zero Day LLC, And Systems LLC, Tridium and Security LLC, NUM, MUST have participated in the discussion. The draft law provides for an information security audit, which is a new regulation. Because cybersecurity measures include information, databases that contain it, accessible information systems, human resources, technical and technological measures, and policies, regulations, plans, organizational activities, and interdependencies that govern their interrelationships. The drafters of the law explained that this relationship was introduced in accordance with international standards, which require auditing with non-supervisory functions. The law defines the activities of an organization with critical information infrastructure and its specific rights and responsibilities to ensure cybersecurity, such as public health and vital facilities equipped with modern information technology-based integrated management devices are the main targets of cyber terrorism. The draft law is based on the laws on the protection of ICT infrastructure of some of the world's leading countries in terms of cybersecurity index / the Republic of Korea, Germany and Estonia/ and made a comparative study of legal environments and taking into account the practical situation in their countries. Although the “National Security Concept of Mongolia” defines information security as a component of national security, the legal environment, which is a key indicator of the cybersecurity index, has not been created and there is no organization is responsible for preventing and responding to national cyber attacks and violations. Mongolia was ranked 104th in 2017 and 85th in 2018 due to a lack of the above-mentioned issues. [gallery link="file" size="medium" ids="59953,59952,59946,59945,59944,59943,59942,59941,59940"] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]