Parliament approved the appointment of U.Khurelsukh as the 30^th Prime Minister on Wednesday. Some 47 MPs, including all nine legislators of the Democratic Party (DP) in Parliament except B.Narankhuu, legislator of the Mongolian People’s Revolution Party (MPRP) O.Baasankhuu, independent legislator S.Javkhlan, and 37 MPs of the Mongolian People’s Party’s (MPP) participated in Wednesday’s session. MP B.Narankhuu of DP, who rarely attends parliamentary sessions, did not specify a reason for his absence on Wednesday, but 28 legislators of MPP including former Prime Minister J.Erdenebat, his Cabinet members in Parliament excluding acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ts.Munkh-Orgil, and other MPs who are against the resignation of J.Erdenebat’s Cabinet did not participate in the session. After over 30 legislators in attendance asked the prime ministerial nominee about his plans for the government and his initiatives to help resolve socioeconomic problems, the 47 MPs in attendance unanimously voted to appoint U.Khurelsukht as the 30^th Prime Minister of Mongolia. Most MPs asked U.Khurelsukh about how he will go about creating more jobs, and the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises. Following his appointment, U.Khurelsukh addressed Parliament about the plans of his Cabinet. At the beginning of his speech, he highlighted that his Cabinet will focus on implementing MPP's action plan, which was promised during the 2016 parliamentary election campaigns. “I want to be a premier who pursues the recovery of the nation’s economy, improves people’s lives, strengthens discipline in the state apparatus, fights corruption seriously, and brings people who broke the law to justice,” said U.Khurelsukh. The newly appointed Prime Minister emphasized that he will work to transform the nation’s underground resources to “valuable assets over ground” by developing mining, agriculture, energy, tourism, and information technology industries. He added the government will work to provide safe and healthy food, as well as pursuing to export food products overseas. He noted that despite being a landlocked country, Mongolia has great opportunities in the past, to export its food and other products to its immediate neighbors with large economies, but the country couldn’t take advantage of this opportunity which is why his Cabinet will work to increase exports. The Prime Minister emphasized that he will support all business operators, eliminate needless pressure and bureaucracy of state authorities, and concentrate on strengthening the capacity of governance and improving competencies of government officials. He stated that to deal with the nation’s economic challenges quickly and increase economic growth, the new government will collaborate closely with the President and Parliament, and the country’s lasting friendly relations of Mongolia’s two neighbor countries and its “third” neighbors, and international organizations such as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which have always helped the country during challenging times. The Prime Minister said that as he intends to form a “people’s” government which will make decisions and execute policies to protect the rights of the Mongolian people and improve their lives, his government’s core policies will focus on people development to create a “wealthy” middle class in years to come, which Mongolians have strived towards in past decades. U.Khurelsukh underlined that he will be persuaded by no one who wants him to support or make illegal decisions. He added that he is not afraid of being assassinated but only afraid of breaking people’s trust in him. At the same day, outgoing Prime Minister J.Erdenebat presented newly-elected Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh with the prime ministerial seal. After receiving the seal, Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh met with President Kh.Battulga and Speaker of Parliament M.Enkhbold, both of whom wished him success in his work. U.Khurelsukh was born in 1968 in Ulaanbaatar, and graduated from the National Defense University of Mongolia in 1989 and the Law School of the National University of Mongolia in 2000. Following his graduation, he began working at Military Unit No.152 of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces as a political officer from 1989 to 1990, a political official at MPP’s Central Committee from 1991 to 1994, and served as an advisor to the Office of MPP caucus in Parliament from 1994 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2000. He worked as the General Director of Youth Development Center under MPP from 1996 to 1997 and as the president of the MPP’s Union of Democratic Socialist Youth from 1997 to 1999. U.Khurelsukh was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Khentii Province in 2000, 2004 and 2008, as Minister in Charge of Emergency Management Affairs from 2004 to 2006, and Minister in Charge of Specialized Inspection Affairs from 2006 to 2008. He was the General Secretary of MPP from 2008 to 2012, and served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2014 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2017.