Sonora Drives an Ambitious Renewable Energy Plan
Mexico On 2 February, Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard and Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo (see our Personality of the Week) hosted 87 ambassadors and representatives…
Sonatrach CEO Toufik Hakkar: Three Years in, Protecting His Team
Algeria This year, Algerian NOC Sonatrach celebrates 60 years of operations. More importantly, next month, CEO Toufik Hakkar (see our Personality of the Week) will…
La Rioja Province Declares Lithium a Strategic Resource
Argentina On 16 January, La Rioja Governor Ricardo Quintela (see our Personality of the Week) signed legislation that declares lithium “a strategic resource” in the…
Sechin’s Speech: Geopolitics, Regret and Nostalgia
RUSSIA Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin’s speech last week was notable for several reasons. This was Sechin’s second major public appearance after the Kremlin’s invasion of…
Stalled Russian-made Nuclear Power Plant Divides Ankara
TURKEY On 1 November, the sole Turkish board member of the Rosatom-built Akkuyu nuclear power plant project, Cuneyd Zapsu (see our Personality of the Week),…
Nyusi Heads High-level Delegation to UAE Seeking Greater Investment
MOZAMBIQUE On 23 October, President Filipe Nyusi traveled to the UAE for a four-day official visit. He and his delegation met senior Emirati officials, including…
Rocky Transition Ahead After Lula’s Narrow Victory
brazil On 30 October, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to win an unprecedented third presidential term. The Supreme Electoral…
SOCAR Signs Deal with Romgaz to Develop LNG Projects in Black Sea
Azerbaijan On 19 October, SOCAR and Romanian gas producer Romgaz signed an MoU to jointly develop LNG projects in the Black Sea. Unlike their previous…
Political Leaders Ignore Looming Water and Sanitation Crisis
LIBYA Libya’s longstanding and deeply entrenched water supply and sanitation challenges have led to periodic water shortages and resulting protests. The Government of National Unity…
Momentum Builds for AMLO’s State-owned Lithium Company
MEXICO In April 2022, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) prodded Congress to fast-track approval of a mining law reform, thereby paving the way for…