Seizing the critical minerals moment will be Africa’s path to industrialisation
Sulaiman Cisse
31 October 2026
Sulaiman Cisse
It’s been over a decade since Tesla revealed its Model S and changed how the world viewed electric vehicles. Once considered a luxury product for a select few, the arrival of affordable Chinese models and increased volatility in the crude oil market has turned the EV tide, with consumers now regarding these vehicles as truly ... The Build-Out (Issue 4)
As the US-Iran conflict enters its sixth month, the fallout across the region is redrawing Asia’s economic map. Shipping bottlenecks, grounded air corridors and energy shocks are no longer transient disruptions but deeply impacting regional trade, technology and capital flows. In this August 2026 edition of Cargo & Capital, we examine how geopolitical fragmentation is ... Cargo & Capital (Issue 3)
Rising geopolitical aggression is reshaping global energy, digital infrastructure and industry. Military spending in Asia is climbing at its fastest pace since 2009, as the region braces for a world of deepening conflict and geopolitical rivalry. Japan has stepped away from decades of post-war pacifism, drawing closer to the US, Australia and India to develop ... The Build-Out (Issue 3)
Resource nationalism is reshaping the physical foundations of the global economy. Export controls, production quotas and processing mandates have become de rigueur as governments assert control over the critical minerals powering AI and the energy transition. Southeast Asian economies are moving to insulate themselves. Governments are accelerating domestic energy build-outs—from Indonesia’s UNOPS partnership on coal ... The Build-Out (Issue 2)
In this edition of StoneBench’s Cargo & Capital newsletter, we take a closer look at how new routes are being carved in and around Asia, influenced by a convergence of geopolitical shocks and policy moves. The Hormuz crisis has highlighted the cracks in Asia’s energy priorities. Click below to read more.
The Build-Out is StoneBench’s new monthly bulletin on the infrastructure of the digital economy—critical minerals, chips, energy and the supply chains that carry them. This first edition examines the era of chokepoints, and how Asia is responding
Cargo & Capital is StoneBench’s new monthly bulletin on how geopolitics and policy are redrawing Asia’s trade, capital and wealth flows. This first edition examines the Hormuz Shock—and the gold rushes, capital flight and realignments it has set in motion
It is imperative that Asia Pacific’s supply chains transition to more sustainable practices
Given the current macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop, what are the implications of the upgraded ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement? This StoneBench whitepaper, written in partnership with Priyanka Kishore, founder of Asia Decoded and Stephen Olson, visiting senior fellow at ISEAS, explores