Via the Jamestown Foundation, an article on Iran’s renewed focus on Central Asia: High-ranking officials from Iran and Tajikistan made a total of three visits to Dushanbe and Tehran, respectively, in less than two months, a significant sign that after years of frosty relations, diplomatic ties are finally improving (Khovar, February 23, March 29, April 5). Even more […]
Read more »Via Project Syndicate, an article on how two new mega-projects connecting Central and South Asia could transform Eurasian security, significantly increase regional economic activity, and potentially bring peace at last to Afghanistan: For the first time in centuries, there is an opportunity to connect Central and South Asia via modern transport and energy corridors through […]
Read more »Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on Abu Dhabi’s investment fund which is cutting energy and commodity holdings as it turns focus to tech: Abu Dhabi’s most active investment fund Mubadala is turning away from its roots as it cuts its holdings in energy and other commodity-related assets while ramping up investments in technology, healthcare […]
Read more »Via The Asia Times, a report on how Islamabad’s rhetorical shift to all things ‘geo-economic’ has been influenced by China’s $400 billion plan for neighbouring Iran: When China and Iran recently announced their landmark 25-year economic and security agreement, Pakistan’s military leadership was coincidently touting its new “geo-economic vision” for more infrastructure development and integration in […]
Read more »Courtesy of STRATFOR (subscription required), an article on the race for Greenland’s mineral resources: The appointment of an environmentalist government will temporarily delay mining operations in Greenland. But a combination of economic needs, pressure from great powers and opportunities created by climate change will result in growing international competition to exploit the island’s natural resources. […]
Read more »Via Nikkei Asia, a report on Pakistan’s increasingly desperate measures to revive the Belt and Road’s Gwadar port: Pakistan’s federal and regional governments are taking a series of actions, including giving the status of regional subcapital and promoting tourism, to revive the struggling town of Gwadar, whose port — built and operated by the Chinese — […]
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