September 16th, 2020
Via Eurasianet, a look at a loss-making Tajik company behind a mysterious Belt and Road investment: Darvoz, in Tajikistan, is a province of dusky canyons and snowy peaks, villages perched across the river from Afghanistan. Terraces turn brilliant shades of green in summer with water channeled from above. Far from Dushanbe in hours and attitudes, Darvoz […]
Read more »Road To Everywhere…China’s Investment Interest In Afghanistan
September 9th, 2020
Courtesy of The Financial Times, an article on China’s interest in a peaceful Afghanistan: China has offered to build a road network for the Taliban if they can ensure peace in Afghanistan after the US military withdrawal, according to two senior tribal leaders in Pakistan with close ties to the militants. Diplomats from Beijing offered […]
Read more »September 9th, 2020
Via The Diplomat, an article on COVID’s impact on exports of natural gas from Central Asia to China: Natural gas exports from the Central Asian republics began to see major drops as a result of the global economic slowdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. China, the main buyer of natural gas from Kazakhstan, […]
Read more »Drying Up: Venezuela’s Oil Industry
September 5th, 2020
Via The Wall Street Journal, a look at how Venezuela has seen its production dwindle after decades of graft and mismanagement under Chávez and Maduro regimes, and now the burden of U.S. sanctions: Venezuela’s oil industry—rich in reserves, a crucial Allied resource in World War II, a founding member of OPEC—is grinding toward a halt. Venezuela […]
Read more »September 1st, 2020
Via STRATFOR (subscription required), a short report on Pemex: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s failure to strengthen Pemex’s finances and shore up domestic oil production will exacerbate Mexico’s public finance woes from COVID-19. On Aug. 24, Mexico’s state-owned energy giant Pemex reported its lowest level of monthly crude oil production since 1979, with the company’s […]
Read more »Iran Welcomes Gas Trade With Turkmenistan
August 31st, 2020
Via MEHR News, a report on Iran’s willingness to resume gas trades with Turkmenistan: The head of the National Iranian Gas Company Hassan Montazer Torbati expressed Iran’s willingness to resume gas trade with Turkmenistan. “During the ICA ruling we expressed our interest to continue the import of Turkmenistan’s gas,” Montazar Torbati said on Monday on […]
Read more »