The “Canada-Mongolia MERIT Project” officially launched on May 5, 2025, at the Tuushin Hotel in Ulaanbaatar. This initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, will run from 2025 to 2030. It aims to enhance Mongolia’s civil service with a strong focus on inclusion, human rights, and ethics.
The MERIT Project builds on the success of its predecessor, which ran from 2016 to 2024. The first phase focused on governance related to responsible mining practices. The new phase of the project will prioritize civil service reform. It will work closely with government agencies, including the Civil Service Council, the Cabinet Secretariat, and several human rights organizations.
Jennifer Adams, the Country Director of the MERIT Project, explained that the initiative would help implement key reforms. These reforms include enforcing the Law on Civil Service and the Law on Ethics. The project will also continue to build on the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to professionalize the civil service.
Canadian Ambassador to Mongolia Sandra Choufani spoke at the launch, emphasizing the project’s importance. She explained that it would continue to strengthen Mongolia’s civil service. The project aims to create a more effective, gender-equal, and results-oriented government system.
The MERIT Project will also provide training, mentoring, and coaching for civil servants. It will use practical methods to build the knowledge and skills of government employees. Local consultants, Canadian technical advisers, and MERIT staff will work together to deliver this support.
Key project partners include the Mongolian Civil Service Council and the National Academy of Governance. The project will focus on capacity building in regions such as Darkhan-Uul, Uvs, Dundgobi, and Sukhbaatar aimags. This initiative will reach civil servants across Mongolia, fostering more localized improvements in governance.
