![Weekly Intelligence Scan [December 8]](/content/images/size/w600/format/webp/2024/03/twenty-107--1.png)
The meteoric rise of the semiconductor and AI sectors demands massive infrastructure investments in data centers and chip fabs, akin to energy megaprojects. However, challenges like power shortages and logistics bottlenecks loom large, necessitating innovative solutions.
China has shifted from being a net importer to a net exporter of capital, with FDI focusing on green metals and technologies in particular. This outward investment, spurred by China’s overcapacity and declining domestic demand, serves as a means of bypassing Western tariffs.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is embarking on his inaugural official visit to Central Asia. This diplomatic mission aims to bolster Germany's presence in the region, offering an alternative to the growing Russian and Chinese influence.
Kenya's plans to build a 1,000MW nuclear plant by 2034 with U.S. financial, technical and political support. However, significant challenges remain, including local opposition, environmental concerns, and questions about the feasibility of nuclear projects given Africa's infrastructure limitations.
Despite economic progress, unemployment and income inequality have led to widespread unrest Bangladesh. This political instability is a critical issue which could have a geopolitical spillover effect on other Indo-Pacific economies.
On the one-month anniversary of the protests sparked by the invasion of Parliament, President Ruto's decision to incorporate opposition ODM members into his cabinet has dramatically altered the political dynamics in Kenya.
The European Union's most recent sanctions package targets Russian LNG operations in its first attempt to restrict Russian LNG operations directly. This move suggests the EU is sufficiently confident it can largely replace Russian gas imports with supply from the U.S. and other sources.
Haiti continues to face a dynamic and complex security situation. The anticipated presence of Kenyan security forces is driving a proactive shift according to our contacts on the ground.
Changes in Colombia indicate a potential rise in kidnapping, violence and instability in certain parts of the country–potentially impacting both security and economic conditions in southwestern areas.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent European tour has underscored the growing strategic divide within the continent. While his visit to France with President Emmanuel Macron yielded minimal substantive progress, his engagements in Serbia and Hungary, proved more fruitful.
Mexico's 2024 elections signal a critical turning point, potentially ushering in the nation's first female president amid escalating military involvement in governance, which could fundamentally alter Mexico's geopolitical and economic landscape.
The Port of Baltimore plays a critical role in the global cobalt trade, serving as the main entry point for over half of US cobalt imports. The indefinite closure of this key hub has affected cobalt supply, pricing, and the broader global cobalt supply chain.
Foreign companies operating in China face heightened scrutiny. This environment could lead to operational challenges, including disruptions from investigations and the need for enhanced duty of care, travel risk management and executive protection measures.
The anticipated electoral rise of far-right and Eurosceptic parties within the EU Parliament, as suggested by a large-scale Ipsos poll for Euronews, could reshape the global macroeconomic landscape, with implications even for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) outside the EU.
The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) has released its Annual Threat Assessment for 2024. We gave it a review and think it is a very insightful document rife with implications all businesses should seriously consider.
For generations, the global economy has wired itself based on the underlying assumption that the population will continue to grow. However, this can no longer be assumed in many of the world’s largest economies—especially in Asia.
Haiti is currently experiencing a severe crisis characterized by gang violence and political instability following Prime Minister Henry's announcement of delayed elections.
Governor Ignacio Torres's threat to disrupt Argentina's oil and gas supply over withheld federal funds deepens President Milei's challenges in implementing his economic reform agenda, threatening both Argentina's energy security and the cohesion of the supporting political coalition.
Enjoy the tailwinds that drive NVIDIA and other companies in the AI space which are seeing great success. However, we recommend developing a more thorough understanding of what enables their success, where it is located and an appreciation of what might be at risk.
The conflict in the resource-rich eastern provinces of the DRC is escalating into a significant concern with far-reaching geopolitical and geoeconomic implications impacting many nations and sectors.
Despite initial easing aimed at fostering democratic reforms, skepticism surrounds the potential for improved U.S.-Venezuela relations. Some contacts in Caracas are anticipating the reinstatement of oil and gas sanctions without significant developments by the April deadline.
ongoing struggle over resources essential for modern technologies—from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems—underscores a larger geopolitical contest that could shape the balance of power for decades.
The U.S. nuclear sector has reached a critical point, with governmental and industry efforts beginning align around increasing investment.
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