African Kingdom Lesotho Gives Starlink License in Overture to US
April 17th, 2025
Via Bloomberg, a report on Lesotho’s recent decision to give Starlink a license to operate: Lesotho granted Elon Musk’s Starlink a 10-year license to operate its satellite network in the tiny southern African mountain kingdom as it seeks to improve ties with the US. The decision marks a significant step forward in the country’s digital […]
Read more »Ethiopia-Somalia Rapprochement and its Potential Geopolitical Implications
April 13th, 2025
Via the Emirates Policy Center, commentary on Ethiopia-Somalia rapprochement: Key Takeaways The Somalia-Ethiopia rapprochement following the signing of the Ankara Declaration in late 2024 represents a substantial shift in alliance dynamics within the Horn of Africa. This development carries significant geopolitical and security implications, potentially altering the balance of power and influencing key actors. Ethiopia […]
Read more »Central African Republic: The Country Still In Thrall To The Wagner Group
April 13th, 2025
Via The Economist, a look at the continuing presence of Russia’s Wagner Group in the CAR: I was in need of some Dutch courage. As the super-strength lager trickled down my throat, I pressed the record button on my phone and looked nervously around me. The bar in downtown Bangui was doing a roaring trade, […]
Read more »India Is Broadening Its Engagement Across the Middle East
April 12th, 2025
Via World Politics Review, commentary on India’s growing engagement with the Middle East: India’s expanding influence in the Middle East is among the most defining indicators of the region’s shift into a multipolar era. While New Delhi continues to benefit from its alignment with U.S.-anchored frameworks in the region, it is increasingly leveraging these networks […]
Read more »Nubank Has Conquered Brazil. Now It Is Expanding Overseas
April 12th, 2025
Via The Economist, a report on Nubank – a rising South American fintech star: Brazil may not be an obvious place to look for the future of retail banking. Yet in just over a decade Nubank, based in São Paulo, has transformed its home market by offering cheap, branchless banking to millions of customers ignored by […]
Read more »Bait and Switch: North Korea’s Remarkable Role In Global Supply Chains
April 12th, 2025
Via The Economist, an article on North Korea’s remarkable entrenchment in global supply chains: What do salmon fillets, fake eyelashes and animated children’s TV shows all have in common? All these familiar parts of Western daily lives have recently been touched by North Korean labour. In an online shopping world where many consumers hit the “sort by price” button, […]
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.