Guinea: World’s Biggest Mining Project To Start After 27 Years of Setbacks and Scandals
January 7th, 2024
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on Rio Tinto’s $20bn Guinea iron ore, rail and port plan: The world’s biggest mining project, a $20bn iron ore, rail and port development in a remote corner of west Africa, is expected to start this year after a 27-year wait beset by setbacks, scandals and several false dawns. […]
Read more »Politics of Ports in the Horn: War, Peace and Red Sea Rivalries
January 7th, 2024
Via African Arguments, a slightly dated but – given recent issues of shipping in the Red Sea – a highly relevant look at how national, regional and international competition over ports is shaping political alliances and enmities across the Red Sea zone: For over 25 years, maritime strategy and port development in the Red Sea […]
Read more »Saudi Arabia Expands Mining Ambitions in Africa
January 7th, 2024
Via Why Africa, a report on Saudi Arabia’s mining ambitions in Africa: Over the last couple of years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has opened the country to foreign companies to apply for prospecting rights, undertake mineral exploration and eventually develop mining operations in the Kingdom. At the same time the country has also started expanding their […]
Read more »Rush for Africa’s ‘Clean Energy’ Minerals Risks Repeating Harmful Extractivist Model
January 5th, 2024
Via Mongabay, commentary on how the rush for ‘clean energy’ minerals in Africa risks repeating harmful extractivist model: The nonprofit Global Witness investigated lithium mining projects in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Namibia, which appear to reproduce the same model of extractivism that has impoverished African countries for centuries. In March, residents of […]
Read more »Carlyle’s Gabon Asset Sale At Risk as Junta Decides to Take Over
January 5th, 2024
Courtesy of BNN Bloomberg, a report on Gabon’s plans to buy an oil company owned by The Carlyle Group: Gabon plans to buy an oil company owned by The Carlyle Group Inc. by taking advantage of its right to increase its stake as an existing shareholder of the firm that pumps crude from the central […]
Read more »Nigeria Unplugs From Dirty Generators in Sudden Solar Gamble
January 5th, 2024
Via Bloomberg, a look at how an abrupt decision in November to end fuel subsidies both jump-started a solar future and made electricity more expensive in Africa’s biggest city: Generators are everywhere in Lagos, used by almost everyone in the Nigerian megacity to counteract crippling power outages. Those living in upscale gated communities or working […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.