How an Afghan Drug Kingpin Became Beijing’s Business Partner in Kabul
February 11th, 2024
Courtesy of Foreign Policy, a report on Bashir Noorzai – who was once serving a life sentence in the United States – is now the key conduit for growing business ties between China and the Taliban: A drug kingpin whose heroin empire helped fund the Taliban’s long war in Afghanistan—and who was released early from […]
Read more »Mexico Is America’s Answer to China’s Belt and Road
February 11th, 2024
Courtesy of Foreign Policy, a look at how growing economic integration with Latin America could help the United States avoid the fate of an aging China: Every now and then, a narrowly framed news item offers up glimmers of pathways toward the possible resolution of much bigger problems. And so it was this week, with […]
Read more »Mozambique’s $80B Energy Plan to Tap Zambezi’s Power To Launch Green Hydrogen Sector
February 10th, 2024
Via Bloomberg, a report on Mozambique’s $80B energy plan to tap the Zambezi River’s power to launch a green hydrogen industry: Country to release hydrogen strategy during the course of 2024 Transition to cleaner energy seen costing $80 billion by 2050 Mozambique is seeking to become one of Africa’s biggest hydropower producers and launch a […]
Read more »There’s No Drought in Panama Canal Plans
February 10th, 2024
Via the Washington Post, commentary on long-term plans for the Panama Canal: Environmental impact is an urgent issue, and, as noted in the Jan. 26 editorial, “A dry Panama Canal shows what’s ahead — everywhere,” the Panama Canal has been affected, as have other water routes, including the Rhine, Amazon and Mississippi rivers. The Panama […]
Read more »China Plans To Spend $1B To Revamp Tanzania-Zambia Railway
February 10th, 2024
Via South China Morning Post, a report that China plans to spend US$1 billion to revamp Tanzania-Zambia railway in race to control critical mineral trade routes: The Tazara rail line, first built in the 1970s with Chinese funding, will be updated through public-private partnership The project connecting Zambian copper belt with Dar es Salaam will compete […]
Read more »Why American, European Companies Need to Invest in Africa’s Mining Sector
February 10th, 2024
Via The Premium Times, an interview with US Institute of Peace expert, Tom Sheehy, sheds light on mining challenges and opportunities in Africa: In the shadows of the African mining sector, a complex web of great power competition, security concerns, and conflicting interests unfolds. Amidst this backdrop, the fate of critical minerals hangs in the balance, […]
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.