risks

Mongolia’s Rare Earth Strategy: balancing risks and rivalries

Wedged between China and Russia, Mongolia is often viewed through the prism of its geography: landlocked and dependent on its neighbours for access to global trade routes. Yet, beneath its deserts and steppes lies a resource base that has the potential to redraw supply chains for critical minerals. Copper, gold and rare earth elements make [...]

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Energy, Politics and Power: Guyana’s High-Stakes Ascent

ExxonMobil’s deepwater discoveries in Guyana’s Stabroek Block have transformed the country from a marginal player to one of the most promising oil frontiers globally. The block holds over 11 billion barrels of recoverable reserves, placing Guyana among the largest new offshore producers. Since 2022, Guyana’s GDP growth has been the fastest in the world, averaging

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Central Asia: from sanctions to strategy

Kazakhstan is moving the fastest. Construction is under way on the new Darbaza-Maktaaral rail link to Uzbekistan (US$523 million) and a second track on the Dostyk-Moiynty section to lift China-Europe capacity five-fold by 2027. At the Caspian end, Aktau will add a 200,000 TEU container hub by 2025 for just US$42 million, while Kuryk gains

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Corridors or Chokepoints – the infrastructure bet driving Ethiopia’s future

Although the Pretoria accord halted open warfare, Ethiopia’s political temperature has begun to rise again. Rival factions inside the Tigray People’s Liberation Front now contest the authority of the federally backed Interim Administration; analysts warn that internal splits could ignite a fresh insurgency and draw Eritrea back in. In parallel, the Fano militia in Amhara

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Tensions Mount in the Middle East: countries close to conflict

Washington’s 22 June strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan crippled centrifuge halls and auxiliary power systems, shaving, by Tehran’s own estimate, several months off its enrichment timetable and forcing emergency repairs under international scrutiny. Yet the underlying capability endures, IAEA data show Iran now holds more than 9 tons of enriched uranium, including enough 60

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South Africa: the state power crisis and civil unrest risk

South Africa’s economy in 2025 continues to struggle, with weak growth and mounting structural pressures. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has downgraded growth forecasts to approximately 1.2% for the year. Reuters confirm the government’s official forecast has also been lowered, as electricity supply constraints and tariff hikes weigh on businesses and consumers

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Kazakhstan: The Eurasian Trade Pivot

Kazakhstan enters mid-2025 in a somewhat different position from previous years. The economy is showing signs of stable growth, with the World Bank projecting GDP expansion driven by non-oil sectors, and revived investor interest. Inflation has eased, and fiscal buffers have been replenished following earlier shocks from the pandemic and energy price volatility. While hydrocarbons

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Western Sahara: unresolved claims and emerging risks

The protracted dispute over Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front comes with challenges for multinational corporations in North Africa. Despite international efforts, the conflict remains unresolved, with sporadic fighting and a stalled peace process, raising fears of renewed violence. Recent developments have made matters worse. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extended the

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What drives FDI in the Asia Pacific Region?

The Asia Pacific region is witnessing economic growth despite the ongoing tensions between China and the smaller Asian nations in the South China Sea. Countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore are experiencing a surge in foreign direct investment (FDI) from nations including Australia, Germany, Spain and the US. Investment is particularly noticeable

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Beyond the Dragon’s Reach: IP protection and combatting Sinosure in China

The ongoing friction between foreign and domestic businesses in China is increasingly challenging. Problems surrounding intellectual property (IP) theft have intensified concerns against the backdrop of the West and China’s strained geopolitical tensions. Trying to protect IP in this environment involves traversing extremely complicated legal frameworks. Furthermore, the Chinese state-owned insurance company, Sinosure, has been

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