Disputes from Maracanã to Marikana put pressure on miners

From Brazil to South Africa and beyond, disputes threaten to disrupt the extractive industry. More than ever, mining firms need to address their social and environmental costs in a sustainable way to quell them. All eyes are on the pitches of Brazil where the world’s top footballers are currently battling against one another. But another fight […]

With falling commodity prices, Colombia and Peru must focus on industry

Industrial policy remains a secondary issue for policymakers in Colombia and Peru, two Andean countries that strongly benefited from the 2000s commodity boom. They need to revise that prioritization. Academics and experts have divided Latin American markets into the regulated economies facing the Atlantic Ocean i.e., Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina, and the open economies facing the […]

Is Somaliland a model for regional development?

Somaliland is a thriving and relatively stable part of a region plagued by crime and political violence and offers many investment opportunities. Could the breakaway region become a blueprint for development in Somalia? In 1991, the northern enclave of Somaliland separated from the rest of Somalia after the collapse of Siad Barre’s authoritarian regime. Somaliland […]

Peruvian government proposes deregulation for extractive industries

The Peruvian government recently proposed reforms to deregulate its extractive industries. The proposed deregulatory framework shows Peru’s desperation to sustain high levels of foreign investment. Since 2000, Peru’s economy has grown the most of any country in Latin America. It has liberalized trade and finance, attracting significant levels of foreign investment in the primary sector. But the commodity […]

Arctic extraction presents huge potential but high risks

Massive petroleum and mineral reserves in the Arctic region are gradually becoming accessible due to climate change. However, companies face high risks as a result of large investment and operational costs, and logistical challenges mean any serious extraction will take decades. The Arctic was once of interest only to polar scientists and adventurers, but this is rapidly changing […]

New regulations for Indonesia’s mining sector lead to export standstill

Indonesia has placed an export ban on mined ore to encourage local processing. The regulatory changes have been met with resistance from international mining companies, and investor confidence in Indonesia’s mining sector has already suffered as a result. The Indonesian government banned the export of mined ore on January 12th, as a way to entice miners into […]

Peru’s informal mining sector threatens economic growth

Peru faces the critical challenge of regulating the informal mining sector. Leaning on the extractive industries for private investment, the rise of an extrajudicial gold rush could jeopardize economic progress. Much like its Andean regional neighbors, Peru experienced remarkable growth in the post-Fujimori era since 2000. The Peruvian economy has expanded an average of 6.11 percent per […]

Amid Myanmar’s Reforms, Unresolved Issues Remain

Myanmar has had an exceptionally troublesome past. Over the years, ethnic turbulence and an oppressive military junta have created diplomatic, humanitarian, and economic turmoil, causing the country to be labeled a black sheep in the region. But all of this seemed to be swept away rather quickly and easily when President Thein Sein began pursuing […]

With New Liberal Government, Australia is “Open for Business”

When the Australian Labor Party emerged victorious from the Australian federal elections of 2007, few would have predicted the degree of infighting that would plague the party and its governments over the next six years. Then-prime minister John Howard was swept from over a decade in power by Labor and its leader, Kevin Rudd. Howard […]

Interview: Professor Marcelo Simon on Argentina’s Economic Future

A decade after Argentina’s historical financial collapse, foreign investors are returning to the once 5th wealthiest economy in the world. Lured by its resource abundant land, highly literate population and a booming oil and mining industry, it is not surprising that both Brazil and China have recently taken notice. However, rampant poverty, stark economic divides […]