Taliban Wants Russian Oil In Exchange For Minerals and Medicinal Herbs
August 23rd, 2022
Via Business Insider, an article on the Taliban’s interests in importing oil from Russia in exchange for minerals and medicinal herbs: The Taliban regime in Afghanistan is discussing a deal with Moscow that could involve trading Russian crude oil products in exchange for raisins, minerals, and medicinal herbs, according to RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news agency. Nuriddin […]
Read more »CASA-1000 Project Stalled Due To Afghan Issues
August 21st, 2022
Via The Frontier Post, a report that the CASA-1000 project is stalled due to Afghan issues: The CASA-1000 project to build a power line between Central Asia and South Asia has been stalled by turmoil in Afghanistan, Reuters reported, quoting an official privy to the issue. The project to allow Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, former Soviet republics […]
Read more »Afghanistan Shows The Limits of China’s Belt and Road
August 20th, 2022
Via Nikkei Asia, an article on China’s challenges in engaging Afghanistan: A decade ago, Peking University international studies professor Wang Jisi set the conceptual foundation for what would become the Belt and Road Initiative with an essay called “Marching Westwards.” In it, Wang decried the excessive focus of Chinese foreign policy on Washington and the Asia-Pacific […]
Read more »Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan Takes New Steps Toward Regional Integration
August 7th, 2022
Via The Diplomat, an article on the recent Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan which marked a crucial step in bringing the Taliban regime back into dialogue with its neighbors – even without formal recognition: For the first time since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021, members of the international community entered into a constructive dialogue […]
Read more »The Taliban’s Black Gold: Afghan Coal
August 4th, 2022
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on how – as Afghanistan battles its economic crisis – the nation is increasing coal exports to generate revenue with the help of child labor: Dozens of men and boys, covered head to toe in coal dust, stream in and out of the mine shafts bored deep into […]
Read more »The Trans-Afghan Railway Line: Back on Track?
July 26th, 2022
Courtesy of The Diplomat, an article on the Trans-Afghan railway project which is gathering momentum once again as Uzbekistan seeks access to Pakistan’s ports, but must still overcome significant security, geographic, and financial hurdles: The Trans-Afghan railway project is gathering momentum as Uzbekistan prioritizes access to Pakistan’s seaports of Karachi, Gwadar, and Qasim, as part of Tashkent’s bid […]
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.