UN Secretary-General meets an IOM beneficiary in Mongolia

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who visited Mongolia from 8-11 August at the invitation of the President of Mongolia, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, applauded Mongolia for its commitment to non-proliferation and disarmament by declaring itself a nuclear-weapon-free zone.” “I hope other countries will follow Mongolia’s example so we can realize a world free of nuclear weapons,” said Mr. Guterres in his remarks addressed to the media.

The Secretary-General also expressed his gratitude for the Mongolian peacekeepers for their service in UN peace operations, often in the most challenging settings.

He also visited the UN House in Mongolia, meeting with the employees of the UN agencies that operate in the country and got acquainted with outcomes of the major projects and programs carried out.

During his visit to the UN House, the Secretary-General met eight beneficiaries of selected projects and Narantuya Tsend-Ochir, IOM beneficiary, was one of them.

Narantuya shared her story with the Secretary-General:

“Hello, my name is Narantuya. I live in Ulaanbaatar with my husband, two children, five grandchildren and elderly parents. I worked as a hairdresser for many years. In order to support my family and the medical expenses of my sick mother, I went to work in the Czech Republic in 2018. I worked there as a hairdresser and tailor for two years, but the global pandemic of COVID-19 caused a decrease in work and income, and the situation became difficult. At that time, I sent all the money that I earned to my family in Mongolia, so there was no savings, which made my situation even worse. So, I contacted the IOM and they helped me to return home safely.

They (IOM) have not only brought many people like me to their countries, but also supported them in reintegration. With that support, I was able to set up a small tailor shop, buy all the things I needed for my business, and also renovated my house. I currently sew street wear and sell in three shopping centers. I am also happy to say that I will soon hire my first employee.

So, thank you, Secretary General of the United Nations, and all the staff for helping millions of citizens like me and creating real changes in their lives.”

Narantuya is one of 1300 beneficiaries who returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic. IOM also supported their reintegration in the country with over USD 1.3 million. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IOM organized two charter flights from Europe – Germany and Czech Republic, and delivered direct assistance to over 72,000 people, including internally stranded migrants.

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