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 »The Taliban’s Would-Be Rainmaker
July 21st, 2022
Via Foreign Policy, a report on the Taliban’s would-be rainmaker: When Hassib Habibi enters a room, it’s easy to be intimidated. His black turban and traditional perahan tunban outfit are accessorized with an AK-47 that hangs from his shoulder. Physically, he looks every bit the stereotypical Taliban fighter, and he knows it. Once he starts talking, though, a […]
Read more »‘The Taliban Have Picked Up the Resource Curse’
July 12th, 2022
Via Foreign Policy, a report on how the Taliban are strip-mining their mineral wealth to fund factional power grabs: For decades, Afghanistan’s people have been told of the vast riches beneath their feet, untapped mineral resources potentially worth billions of dollars that the world is clamoring to explore, exploit, and export to create jobs in a […]
Read more »Afghan Coal Sold to Companies Linked to Pakistan Army
July 11th, 2022
Via the Frontier Post, a report that Afghan coal is being sold to companies linked to the Pakistan Army: Owners of coal factories in Afghanistan said the Afghan coal is being sold to three Pakistani companies: Fauji Fertilizer Power Station, Cherat Cement Factory and Lucky Cement and Coal. Economists said these companies are connected with the […]
Read more »Taliban Wage War Over Coal in Northern Afghanistan
July 6th, 2022
Via Foreign Policy, an article on how a battle for cash pits the Kabul extremists against Hazara locals: Fighting has been ongoing in the remote Balkhab district of Afghanistan’s northern Sar-e-Pol province over the past several weeks, part of a showdown between a cash-strapped central government run by the Taliban and locals who are trying to […]
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.