Africa: Two Railroads, One Vision
October 10th, 2024
Via the Center for Strategic and International Studies, commentary on the two new African railway projects: There has been a lot of talk lately about trains in southern Africa. Driven in part by the race for critical minerals, the United States and China are seemingly backing rival railroads to secure access to 70 percent of […]
Read more »Zambia Sees Economic Growth at 13-Year High as Drought Eases
October 6th, 2024
Via Bloomberg, an article on Zambia’s economic growth forecast: Economic growth forecast for 2024 remains unchanged at 2.3% Dry spell is weighing on tax collections, public finances Zambia’s economy will probably grow at its fastest pace in 13 years in 2025 as it bounces back from the worst drought in more than a century. Gross domestic product […]
Read more »China and US Compete for Control to Transport African Critical Minerals
September 27th, 2024
Via The Africa Report, a look at the growing competition between China and US for control to transport African critical minerals: What’s really behind China’s $1bn renovation of the Tazara railway? On 4 September – on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing – Tanzania, Zambia and China signed an agreement to modernise the bi-national […]
Read more »Climate Change Is Stunting Africa’s Economic Growth
September 21st, 2024
Via Bloomberg, a look at the projected impact of climate change on Africa: Some countries are spending 9% of their GDP fighting extremes Adaptation will cost $30 billion to $50 billion yearly Climate change is causing weather extremes that have been costly for African economies, according to a report. Countries on the continent are losing […]
Read more »Zambia’s Plans For New Critical Minerals State Company Leave More Questions Than Answers
September 19th, 2024
Via The Africa Report, a report on Zambia’s plans for a new critical minerals state company: Experts fear Zambia and Tanzania may scare off foreign investors by increasing state influence over critical minerals. Plans by Zambia to set up a new state-run company to control part of the country’s critical minerals production are raising concern among industry […]
Read more »Lobito Corridor: Illustrates Lack of American Imagination in Africa
September 15th, 2024
Via the Pan African Review, critical commentary on the Lobito Corridor: “This is a project that will showcase the American model of development.” These were the words of US ambassador to Angola, Tulinabo Mushingi, when he spoke to the Financial Times on the subject of a new $10bn US-funded rail investment in the country. At a time […]
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.