YOUR EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT OF THE ASSEMBLY,
DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES AND COLLEAGUES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

GOOD MORNING,

Please accept my warm greeting of today, at the same time I would like to wish success to this historical Assembly which is discussing ageing issues.

Since early 1990's, Mongolia is undertaking economic and social reforms covering all aspects of social life while abstaining from the central planining economy. The core goal of this reform is to achieve the sustained human development through creating high economic growth consistent with the population and environment.

By having made a reform in political, economic, humanitarian sector in a short period of time and being integrated into the global economy, Mongolia has got the opportunity to benefit from advantages of globalization and keep up with other countries, after its isolation from the global development for many decades.

Having guided by the commitments and world approaches adopted by summits and assembly such as the United Nations principles on Elderly, International Action Plan on Ageing Vienna Plan, Macao Action Plan on Ageing for Asia and Pacific, United Nations' Millenium Declaration, taking into account the circumstances of elderly, need to involve them in social life, protect their rights, ensure their independency, enable them to get access to social services and create a legal environment in this regard, we are actively cooperating with UN agencies and other international and foreign organizations. Particularly, "Year of Elderly People" which was declared by UN in 1999, was significant events to draw public attention to elderly issues.

Since the First World Assembly on Ageing, elderly issues were taken into serious considerations in Mongolia and we have achieved some positive results. Notably, we attached great attention on creating legal environment for issues on elderly. For instance: the elderly issues are reflected in the laws and regulations such as constitution of Mongolia, labour code, law on health, law on pensions and benefits from social insurance fund, law on health insurance for citizen, law on social welfare, law on social benefits and services for elderly and programs like the National Program on health and social protection of elderly.

The government of Mongolia is implementing the laws, regulations and programs concerning elderly issues through reflecting necessary expenditure on the state central budget. Majority of the elderly people receive their pension from the social insurance fund while different measures such as state liability of payments of health insurance premiums,providing them with housing, enabling them to use public transport and health resort without any charge and other services and benefits.

However, we do not assume that the elderly issues are fully resolved in Mongolia and it's still remaining to be challenging issue due to the socio-economic circumstances of the country and poverty level.

Issues, of income security, improvement in basic health services for elderly, food security and improvements of livelihood of poor and single elderly are needed to take into considerations.

The Mongolia has a tradition to live with extended families and children take care of their parents and elderly. The intensification of internal population migration from rural to the urban area in the past a few years, specially the migration of youth with their families, are becoming challenge for Mongolia recent years. The elderly, whose children have moved to the urban areas, are usually left behind in countryside without support of family members. This issue must draw our attention and it's required to take a complex measures to resolve it.

Due to the transitional constraints and natural disasters, there is a tendency to decrease living standard of the population. Especially, the consecutively occurred natural disasters like severe drought and winter disasters are recognized to be as the main reason of poverty for rural population. Specially, the elderly are heavily affected with poverty. Therefore the government of Mongolia is upholding the policy to expand the care services for elderly.

According to population projection, in the next 25 years, older people aged 60 and above will be increasing by 50% while today it is only 5.2% of the total population. Although Mongolia is considered as a country with young population, age structure changes have already started. In this regard, it's required to take an appropriate measure to educate the whole population about longevity and on preparing for ageing overcome confronting difficulties.

Efforts made by the Government are not sufficient to solve every matter concerning the elderly. Therefore, it is vital if the Government cooperates with national and international non?governmental organizations, private sectors, research institutions, public and international organizations. Thus, one of our significant goals in this era where the interconnection in the world becomes stronger, is to get world commonwealth assistance to the development of Mongolia and use them more appropriately.

We are very thankful to the UN and other international organizations, donors supporting us for improving quality of health and education, reducing poverty, promoting employment and advancing social protection system, while carefully observing the economic situation of our country.

The Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour, jointly with the UNFPA Mongolia Office and Mongolian Association of Elderly People, Mongolian Red Cross, Help Age International organized national high level meeting on "Population and Development" and the "National consultation?Madrid 2002 ", involving both governmental and non governmental organizations as well as elderly representatives themselves in the debate about population development and ageing and also conducted advocacy work through mass media for the Second World Assembly on Ageing.

It is considered that the "International Action Strategy on Ageing 2002 ", which will be adopted by the Second World Assembly on Ageing, would serve as a basis for policy and action on elderly of all countries. The Government of Mongolia also pledges to reflect the Action Strategy into its activities and undertakings.

Wish you good luck on creating society for all age and all success to the Second World Assembly on Ageing.

Thank you for your attention.