The New Reality of Energy Geopolitics in Eurasia
May 31st, 2024
Via The Diplomat, a look at how – with the so-called gas union – Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are engaging in opportunistic cooperation and flirting with dangerous new dependencies. On November 28, 2022, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Moscow, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials. During their meeting, Russian media […]
Read more »UAE’s Role in Gold Smuggling from Africa Could Jeopardize Its Investment Ambitions on the Continent
May 30th, 2024
Via African Critical Minerals, a report on the impact that the UAE’s Role in gold smuggling from Africa could have upon its investment ambitions on the continent: A report by Swissaid, released on Thursday, reveals the alarming extent of gold smuggling out of Africa. Between 321 and 474 metric tons of gold are produced annually […]
Read more »Vietnam’s Great Untapped Rare Earth Bounty
May 30th, 2024
Via Asia Times, an article on US efforts to help develop Vietnam’s rich rare earth reserves to decouple from China but that’s not likely to happen anytime soon: Vietnam is home to the world’s second-largest reserves of rare earths, according to the US Geological Survey. Yet while the US and its allies seek a supply […]
Read more »UAE: Dubai Ports World Makes a Play for Africa
May 30th, 2024
Courtesy of The Africa Report, a report on how DP World, the Dubai-based logistics giant, is both a thriving business and a geopolitical soft power tool: From humble beginnings a half-century ago as the local operator of the two-crane operation at Port Rashid, Dubai Ports World has matured into a global logistics powerhouse. It’s also […]
Read more »The Great CPEC Mirage
May 30th, 2024
Via Dawn, commentary on CPEC: IF you think China is gearing up for another round of massive business investments in Pakistan then I have a power plant to sell you. No such thing is about to happen and all the noise around a revival of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is either wishful thinking (at best) or […]
Read more »Saudi Arabia Eyes a Future Beyond Oil
May 29th, 2024
Courtesy of the New York Times, a report on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to juggle its still-vital petroleum industry with alternative energy sources like wind and solar as it faces pressure to lower carbon emissions: At a two-hour drive from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, rows of solar panels extend to the horizon like waves on an […]
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.