Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year: Hogan Lovells - African Legal Awards 2015
This award went to Hogan Lovells for the work of its Paris-based team advising Niger and Benin on the West Africa Rail Loop project
November 25, 2015 at 05:36 AM
2 minute read
Finalists:
AB & David
Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group
Hogan Lovells
Linklaters
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel
Highly commended: AB & David
Winner: Hogan Lovells
Hogan Lovells secured this award off the back of its work advising Niger and Benin on the $4.3bn (£2.8bn) West Africa Rail Loop project – a 3,000km railway line from the port of Abidjan to the Port of Cotonou, through Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin. The line is designed to foster economic development in landlocked areas of Niger, Northern Benin and Eastern Burkina Faso. It is being financed by French mining conglomerate Bollore via corporate loans.
A Paris-based team from Hogan Lovells, led by partners Bruno Cantier and Olivier Fille-Lambie, advised the states on their equity investment in Benirail, which will build and operate the line, as well as the shareholder agreements. There was a requirement for the contract structure to incorporate two concession agreements with Bollore – for the management of the infrastructure and the operation of freight and passengers rail services – and the team drew on the lessons learned from recent major European rail infrastructure projects. The operation concession company will have a partial monopoly on freight services in exchange for running passenger services without subsidies and accepting tariff controls throughout the monopoly period. Meanwhile, competing freight companies will be progressively authorised to operate freight services on the line, and in turn will help finance rail passenger services.
Pictured from left to right: Warren Beech, head of mining, Lavery Modise, South Africa chairman, and Nathan Searle, counsel, Hogan Lovells
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