Will It Scale In Kabul?
May 9th, 2016
Via Foreign Policy, an interesting article on a handful of ambitious U.S. veterans are launching start-ups in Afghanistan: “This is the valley where I learned empathy,” says Matthew “Griff” Griffin, a former Army captain, holding a photograph of a procession of Army Rangers winding their way through Afghanistan’s snowy Korengal Valley. In November 2003, Griff […]
Read more »Bypassing Pakistan: Afghanistan, India, Iran and Chabahar
April 26th, 2016
Via Future Directions International, a look at the strategic impact that the Chabahar Agreement could have upon south and central Asia: Key Points The Chabahar Agreement between India and Iran could be a regional game changer. It could assist India to enhance its energy security and give it access to Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Iran […]
Read more »Once a Bright Spot, Afghan Telecoms Face Unsustainable Losses
April 9th, 2016
Via the New York Times, a sobering look at the Afghan mobile phone sector: Men thread their way through this city’s traffic jams, hawking streamers of phone cards. Others stand behind crude wooden tables selling cheap Chinese-made mobile phones. Throngs of people navigate the sidewalks and streets with cellphones pressed to their ears. The boom […]
Read more »Looted Lender For Sale: Afghanistan Seeks Buyer For New Kabul Bank
March 24th, 2016
Via Bloomberg, an interesting report on Afghanistan’s renewed efforts to sell New Kabul Bank: For sale: One bank with 114 branches in war-torn country; defrauded out of almost all its money; occasional target of terrorists. Ready to bid? That’s what Ashraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan, is hoping. He’s seeking a buyer for Kabul Bank, once the […]
Read more »Iran: India’s Gateway to Central Asia and the Middle East
February 25th, 2016
Courtesy of STRATFOR (subscription required), analysis of India’s strategic plans for connecting with Central Asia and the Middle East: Forecast Established ports in the Gulf and Arabian seas will likely generate much of the private investment needed for the development of Iran’s Chabahar Port. Construction on the port will begin this year, but it several […]
Read more »Chabahar Port: A Win for South Asia
February 10th, 2016
Courtesy of Foreign Policy, a report on Chabahar port: When Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah visited Iran on Jan. 4, one of the top items on his agenda was the finalizing of the Chabahar Transit and Transport Agreement. The core aim for the creation of this agreement is to expand regional trade between India, Iran, and […]
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.