Spotlight | Congo
Corruption probe into Commisimpex arbitration gathers pace

Gabon
False start in Libreville's talks with the IMF

Beyond the international lender's annual spring meetings in April, no progress has been made to develop an aide package. Finance Minister Thierry Minko has decided to bide his time and wait for audit results expected mid-July.

Congo
French courts set to take 'presidential' Falcon off Commisimpex and its financiers

Six years after successfully seizing Denis Sassou-Nguesso's Falcon jet, the Lebanese businessman Mohsen Hojeij – who is claiming €2.2bn in unpaid debts from the Congo – is on the verge of losing this prized asset.

Congo
Debt dispute lands Commisimpex boss Mohsen Hojeij in Lebanon courts

Beirut's chief magistrate has summoned the Lebanese businessman, who is seeking €1.8bn in arrears from Congo, to appear for a hearing in September after Brazzaville's lawyers filed a complaint accusing him of forgery and fraud.

Congo
TotalEnergies joins probe into Commisimpex arbitration

Launched in 2021, the judiciary investigation into potential corruption behind the arbitration that validated the company's €1bn claim against the Republic of Congo has been bolstered by a new heavyweight. The French oil major has just joined the proceedings as a civil party.

Congo
Minister of Transport vetoes opening of new ECAir regional routes

The relaunch of the national airline's activities has met with strong resistance at the Ministry of Transport.

The New Guard
Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

CongoOumar Semega, the ambitious oil trader

EthiopiaKal Kassa, the bitcoin prophet

KenyaAlamin Siwa Somo, the aspiring senator

Congo
SNPC's expansion into gas exasperates Ministry of Hydrocarbons

The establishment of a new "gas and new energies" division within the national oil company is perceived internally as a move to favour the SNPC at the expense of its supervisory ministry.

Spotlight | Congo, France
French financial prosecution service to investigate corruption suspicions in Commisimpex affair

The French financial prosecution service has instructed an examining magistrate to investigate the 2013 arbitration ruling ordering the Republic of the Congo to pay €1.5bn to Commisimpex, a construction company owned by Lebanese businessman Mohsen Hojeij.

Congo
Brazzaville secures reopening of billion-dollar Commisimpex arbitration

On 9 December, the international arbitration court of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) wrote to the lawyers of the Congolese state and of Commisimpex to inform them that it had decided to reopen the proceedings.

Congo
Judge Yves Derain accused by Congo of corruption in Commisimpex dispute withdraws from case

Having filed a complaint on 7 October against one of the three judges that ruled in 2013 in its dispute with the construction firm Commisimpex, Congo is now seeking the cancellation of arbitration proceedings in Paris.

Congo
Congo challenges Mohsen Hojeij's billion-euro arbitration for 'corruption'

Breaking news published on 08/10/21 at 17:00 p.m. - Congo lodged a complaint against "persons unknown" on 7 October, accusing the president of the tribunal that arbitrated Commisimpex's 2013 claim against the state, of having ties to Hojeij's company.