The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway: Still Growing 8 Years Later
February 14th, 2026
Via The Diplomat, an article on how – two years after the handover to local control – the China-built railway is not done transforming the region: After its inauguration on January 10, 2017, in Djibouti City, the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway (AADR) – the African continent’s first standard-gauge, electrified, multi-country railway – started its operation in […]
Read more »Inside the U.S. DFC, Trump’s answer to China’s Belt and Road
February 14th, 2026
Via The Africa Report, a look at how – established in his first term and supercharged in his second – the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is rewriting the rules of engagement in Africa – explicitly placing American security above humanitarian goals: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), work is underway on the Lobito rail […]
Read more »Saudis Announce New Investments in Syria, a Sign of Deepening Ties
February 9th, 2026
Courtesy of The New York Times, a report on new Saudi and Syrian deals ranging from aviation to telecommunications, offering a much-needed boost to Syria’s battered economy: Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday sweeping investments in Syria’s telecommunications, energy, and aviation sectors, the latest sign of a deepening relationship between the two countries. The deals represent […]
Read more »Somaliland Pitches Minerals, Strategic Location To Trump
February 9th, 2026
Via Semafor, a report on Somaliland’s outreach to the U.S. around minerals and its strategic location: Somaliland plans to use the momentum from Israel’s recognition of the breakaway state to press its case to Washington and other major capitals, pitching the territory as a strategic, resource-rich partner to US President Donald Trump, its leader said […]
Read more »Dubai-Based Firm Bets $1.6 billion on Africa’s AI Data Centres and Farmland
February 7th, 2026
Via Business Insider Africa, a report on a Dubai-based consumer electronics manufacturer, Maser Group, which is making a major strategic pivot into agriculture and artificial intelligence infrastructure across Africa, committing $1.6 billion to farmland development and data centres in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya over the next two years. Dubai-based consumer electronics firm Maser Group is […]
Read more »Turkmen Gas: A Missing Piece in Europe’s Long-Term Energy Security Puzzle
February 7th, 2026
Via The Diplomat, a look at the potential for Turkmen gas to play a vital role in Europe’s long-term energy security: As Europe continues its transition away from dependence on Russian pipeline gas, policymakers and energy strategists are confronted with a new reality: short-term crisis management has not yet yielded a stable, long-term supply framework. […]
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.