China: The World’s First Electrostate?
May 20th, 2025
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an excellent article with compelling graphs about China’s long march towards national electrification: China could be on its way to becoming the world’s first major “electrostate”, with its electrification rate climbing to 30 per cent, ahead of the EU and US where electricity as a final share of energy has […]
Read more »The Trillion Dollar Illusion: Private Finance For Development
May 20th, 2025
Via The Economist, a look at the potential – and reality – of private finance for development: Ten years ago world leaders agreed on 17 sustainable development goals (sdgs), from ending hunger to ensuring decent work for all. An ensuing conference in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, had the harder task of working out how to pay […]
Read more »Syria and UAE’s DP World Ink $800M Deal for Port Development
May 19th, 2025
Via Middle East Monitor, a report on an agreement between Syria and UAE’s DP World for port development: The Syrian government and DP World signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth $800 million to develop Syria’s port of Tartous, Syrian state news agency SANA said today, after the lifting of US sanctions cleared the way for the deal, Reuters reports. The […]
Read more »Rare-Earths Plants Are Popping Up Outside China
May 19th, 2025
Via Wall Street Journal, a report on how U.S. and Brazil are among the countries building capacity to mine and refine metals for EVs and smartphones: Brazil is emerging as a rare-earths source, holding the second-largest reserves after China. Aclara Resources is opening a rare-earths mine in Brazil to supply a U.S. processing plant. Geopolitical […]
Read more »China Turns To PPP To Fund Big Projects In Africa
May 19th, 2025
Via South China Morning Post, a look at how Chinese companies are teaming up with African governments to fund infrastructure while reducing financial risk and easing debt pressure: China has turned to public-private partnerships (PPP) to finance big African infrastructure projects under a grand China investment initiative, a shift experts said could reduce Beijing’s financial risks while easing debt […]
Read more »Ethiopia Signs Minerals, Energy Deals Worth $1.7 billion, Chiefly With Chinese Firms
May 17th, 2025
Via Reuters, an article on recent investments into Ethiopia’s minerals and energy sector: Ethiopia has signed investment deals for its minerals and energy sectors worth more than $1.7 billion, mostly with Chinese firms, its finance ministry said. The East African nation, which struck a four-year, $3.4 billion program deal with the International Monetary Fund last […]
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.