Africa
Due to its privileged relationship with West Africa and its African legal practice, our firm supports and advises States, sovereign wealth funds and companies seeking to expand their operations in Africa, mainly in four areas.
Infrastructures and major projects
Thanks to their excellent understanding of environmental issues in West Africa, our lawyers are particularly active in the areas of infrastructure, biotechnology and sustainable development. We assist private and institutional investors in the context of investments in renowned banking institutions and support sovereign wealth funds and States in the context of public-private partnerships and the establishment of special economic zones in several African States (drafting all legal documentation related to the establishment of special economic zones and integrated industrial platforms). In the area of sports, our firm has represented the organizing committees of the 2012 and 2017 Africa Cup and negotiated service provider agreements related to sports facilities (security, broadcasting, marketing, construction and maintenance). Our lawyers participate in the drafting of documents related to public procurement and their updating in various sectors (road infrastructures, sports facilities, telecommunications, waste collection and treatment, power generation infrastructures).
Litigation and international arbitration
With in-depth knowledge of public procurement and public-private partnerships, particularly in West Africa, as well as the law of West African States (OHADA), our lawyers assist several African States of the ECOWAS and CEMAC zone in arbitration proceedings. We act in arbitration proceedings of all kinds: International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Conventions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference or ad hoc proceedings. We handle all phases of litigation: strategy development, evidence gathering and search, risk and compensation assessment, conduct of preliminary or enforcement proceedings.