Syria’s Narco Economy
August 8th, 2021
Via The Economist, a report on Syria’s economic descent into a narco state: In the dunes north of Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the sun sets and the party begins. Girls discard their abayas, the black shrouds that envelop them in public, and begin jiving to techno music with boys. A few swig from bottles, but most […]
Read more »Syrian Economy Lies In Ruins and China Sniffs Opportunity
July 21st, 2021
Via The Guardian, an article on China’s interest in rebuilding Syria: Standing on a podium on Saturday to take an oath of office, Bashar al-Assad declared himself the only man who could rebuild Syria. His first foreign guest, China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, seemed to enhance his claim, endorsing the president’s win in a May poll […]
Read more »Syria’s Surprising Solar Boom: Sunlight Powers the Night in Rebel Idlib
May 19th, 2021
Courtesy of The New York Times, a report on how Syrians in a poor, embattled enclave have turned en masse to solar panels to charge their phones and light their homes and tents: When the Syrian government attacked their village, Radwan al-Shimali’s family hastily threw clothes, blankets and mattresses into their truck and sped off […]
Read more »Why China Will Not Rebuild Syria
May 8th, 2021
Via East Asia Forum, commentary on growing unlikelihood that China will rebuild Syria: A decade since the start of the Syrian civil war, debate on the conflict is shifting toward the rebuilding of the country. China is increasingly being touted as a leading candidate to address Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction at a time when Western powers and Syrian […]
Read more »Syria: A Future Notch on China’s BRI?
June 12th, 2020
Via Eurasia Review, an article on how Syria could become a key node in China’s infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): China looms large as a potentially key player alongside Russia and Iran in President Bashas al-Assad’s post-war Syria. With Russia and Iran lacking the financial muscle and the United States and […]
Read more »Will China Rebuild Syria?
April 9th, 2020
Via the Begin-Sadat Center, an article on who – after almost a decade of civil war in Syria – will be in charge of the reconstruction of the nation, with China a likely candidate: The relationship between China and Syria dates back to 1956, when the countries first initiated diplomatic contact. Bilateral relations have stayed […]
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.