Kazakhstan: Crossroads of Eurasia
February 4th, 2024
Via Geopolitical Futures, a look at Kazakhstan’s growing importance as a key hub for east-west commerce: In light of the geopolitical shifts caused by Russia’s pivot to the east, alongside China’s push to forge overland trade paths to Europe and the quest for alternatives to Russian routes, Kazakhstan’s role as a transit hub is growing […]
Read more »Central Asia’s Middle Corridor Expansion: Opportunity for China and Iran
January 27th, 2024
Via Foreign Policy Research Institute, commentary on how the Central Asia’s Middle Corridor expansion presents an opportunity for China and Iran: The sustained attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea have given a fresh boost to a budding Central Asian trade network known as the Middle Corridor, whose participant countries recently met to discuss […]
Read more »Afghanistan: Critically Important Trade Route For Kazakhstan
January 23rd, 2024
Via The Diplomat, a report on Afghanistan’s market and its position as a trade route that can connect Central Asia to South Asian ports are critically important to Kazakhstan: As the global community experiences a turbulent and unpredictable period, Kazakhstan, alongside other countries, faces a range of challenges and risks. A timely reorientation and adjustment […]
Read more »An App Company in Kazakhstan Just Had the Biggest IPO Since Birkenstock in October
January 23rd, 2024
Via Quartz, an article on Kaspi.kz, maker of a super app, which recently raised approximately $1 billion in its stock offering: Kaspi.kz, a mobile app company, launched its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq stock exchange Friday, raising about $1 billion. On its first trading day, shares of Kaspi.kz debuted 0.5% above its offer […]
Read more »Central Asia’s Gradual Economic Repositioning
December 26th, 2023
Via East Asia Forum, an article on Central Asia’s gradual economic repositioning: In 2023, the Central Asian leaders showed increased willingness to institutionalise cooperation through annual summits and unified approaches to third countries. Despite foreign policy challenges associated with the Russia–Ukraine war, water disputes with Afghanistan and clashes on the Kyrgyz–Tajik border, the focus of […]
Read more »Huawei’s Growing Presence in Central Asia’s Telecom Industry
December 26th, 2023
Via The Diplomat, a report on Huawei’s growing presence in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan: In the wake of Western sanctions, Huawei has pivoted toward emerging markets, including within Central Asia. The invasion of Ukraine has further underscored the need for adaptability, prompting Huawei to strategically relocate some of its Moscow office staff to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to avoid secondary […]
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.