Archive for 2025

Apples, Sausages, and Workers: North Korea and Russia Deepen Economic Ties

Courtesy of The Financial Times, a report on growing economic ties between Russia and North Korea: North Korean apples have begun appearing on Russian supermarket shelves and exporters from the reclusive dictatorship are planning to enter the Russian market, as closer ties between President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un begin to bear fruit for […]

Read more »



DP World To Develop Syria’s Tartus Port Under Landmark 30-Year Agreement

Via DP World, a report on DP World’s USD 800 million to modernise Tartus and support Syria’s recovery as a regional trade hub: DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports to develop and operate the Port of Tartus.  As part of the agreement, DP World […]

Read more »



Rwanda Emerges as a Potential Global Lithium Powerhouse

Via Further Africa, a report on Rwanda’s lithium potential: Rwanda has taken a decisive leap toward becoming a key player in the global critical minerals market following the announcement of a “world-class” lithium discovery by Aterian Plc. The find marks a significant milestone for the East African nation’s ambitions to position itself within the booming […]

Read more »



The Digital Silk Road in the Gulf: Navigating Risks Amid China-US Rivalry

Via The Diplomat, commentary on how the Gulf region represents a convergence of regional instability and great power rivalry, with Chinese high-tech exports caught in the crossfire: China’s Digital Silk Road has emerged as a strategic avenue to circumvent mounting U.S.-led barriers to its high-tech development, offering an alternative model for digital globalization that emphasizes […]

Read more »



Kenya Unrest Offers East African Rivals An Investment Opportunity

Via Semafor, commentary on how recent Kenyan unrest is offering its East African rivals an investment opportunity: Kenya’s neighbours stand to attract investors who are increasingly wary of the political volatility that has gripped East Africa’s biggest economy. Deadly protests marking a year since the wave of anti-government demonstrations that shook Kenya — once again […]

Read more »



Why African Banks Are Turning From London and New York To Dubai and Riyadh

Via The Africa Report, commentary on why African banks are turning from London and New York to Dubai and Riyadh: Arab-based DIFC and KAFD financial hubs are now outshining New York’s Wall Street and London’s The City. This geographical shift mirrors a broader reorientation of trade and financial flows towards Middle Eastern markets. For English-speaking […]

Read more »


ABOUT
WILDCATS AND BLACK SHEEP
Wildcats & Black Sheep is a personal interest blog dedicated to the identification and evaluation of maverick investment opportunities arising in frontier - and, what some may consider to be, “rogue” or “black sheep” - markets around the world.

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.