Africa and the Middle East
Chadbourne serves clients in Africa and the Middle East through lawyers in 13 offices worldwide. Our office in Dubai, opened in May 2007, enhances the Firm’s ability to meet the needs of clients in the region. Our lawyers also have strong relationships with law firms in Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, who can provide insights into local laws.
Our international practice advises African and Middle Eastern clients as to acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, investments and capital raising activities in the United States and abroad. Our representation of clients in off-shore projects includes advising on the impact of U.S. regulations on foreign projects as well as related international tax questions.
Several Chadbourne lawyers are fluent French, Arabic or Turkish speakers with experience in drafting and negotiating documents in these other languages. These skills have proved invaluable in conducting business transactions throughout Africa and the Middle East. Our lawyers also include the former International Tax Counsel of the U.S. Treasury Department and advisors to the governments of several countries. Others have served at multilateral and bilateral agencies.
Project Finance and Privatization
Chadbourne’s project finance group has a strong presence in the power and project finance sectors in Africa and the Middle East. In addition to our experience in the power section, we have extensive experience structuring, negotiating and documenting transactions in Africa, including gold projects in Ghana, oil and gas projects in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, petrochemical facilities in Nigeria, a port project in Kenya, the expansion of a rubber plantation in Liberia, copper mining and agricultural projects in Zambia, and government debt restructurings and equity investment funds throughout Africa.
In addition, lawyers in London represent private companies developing, investing in or lending to projects in Africa and the Middle East and of multilateral or bilateral institutions in the region.
Corporate and Litigation
Members of the Firm’s corporate and litigation groups regularly act as outside counsel to Fortune 500 companies and comparable non-U.S. companies in Africa and the Middle East. The group advises companies on securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate matters.
Representative Experience
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Coal-Fired Power Plant Financing
L'Office Nationale de l'Electricité
Advice on tendering for a 1,320 megawatt coal-fired power plant and coal port and handling facility in Morocco.
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Refinery Construction and Operation
Hood Oil Ltd.
Financing, construction and operation of a 60,000 barrel-per-day refinery on the Ras Issa peninsula on the Red Sea coast of Yemen.
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Cross-Israel Highway
Newcourt Capital Inc.
$1.35 billion financing of the Cross-Israel Highway, Israel’s first toll road, and the largest privately financed infrastructure project in Israel.
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Development of Power Plant
AES Oasis, Ltd. and Mitsui
Development and financing of the $300 million al-Manakher independent power project, a 370 megawatt gas-fired combined-cycle generation plant near Amman, Jordan.
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Hydroelectric Power Project Financing
Joint Venture
Development and financing of the Bujagali project, a $880 million, 250 megawatt hydroelectric power project in Uganda, named "African Power Deal of the Year" by Project Finance magazine.
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Tender for Mobile License
Saudi Telecommunications Company
Bid for the acquisition of the third Egyptian mobile telecommunications license, including advice relating to the acquisition structure and joint venture arrangements.
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Privatization of Power Distributor
Globeleq
Privatization and management of a Ugandan electric power distributor.
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Acquisition of Interest in Power Plant Operator
Globeleq
Acquisition of interest in Songas Limited, a Tanzanian project company that built, owns and operates a gas processing plant on Songo Songo and a pipeline to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and expansion of the Songas project.
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[ more representative experience ]
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