Your account has been succesfully created.

EN FR

Spotlight | Congo
Corruption probe into Commisimpex arbitration gathers pace

By Philippe Vasset

Published on 15.10.2025 at 04:40 GMT Reading time 3 min

Plaque at the entrance of the International Chamber of Commerce, in Paris. © Xose Bouzas/Hans Lucas via AFP

The French judicial probe over possible corruption in an arbitration that in 2013 validated Commisimpex's claim for more than €1bn against the Republic of Congo, has been expanded to include charges of organised fraud and use of forged documents. This paves the way for the questioning of the arbitrators who were involved.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

In order to ensure high-quality and independent journalism, Africa Intelligence relies solely on subscriptions from its readers, with no advertising, no events and no consulting work.

Several offers are available depending on your particular reading needs

Consult our offers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

Discover our work by making use of the following possibilities: daily newsletters, a selection of free articles, keyword alerts.

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

create a free account

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.

Subscribers only Business 25.06.2026

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.

Subscribers only Infrastructure 20.02.2026

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.

Subscribers only Business 07.01.2026

Spotlight | Congo, Ghana, Nigeria
Scuppered acquisition spares Lukoil and Gunvor headaches in Africa

Gunvor has finally abandoned its bid to acquire the Russian oil company, which has a strong E&P and trading presence in Africa. The transaction would not have gone down well in several sub-Saharan countries.

Subscribers only Energy 10.11.2025

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

Subscribers only Politics, Business 22.10.2025

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.

Subscribers only Energy, Politics 20.10.2025

Congo
Congolese First Lady flees France after judge issues summons

Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso left France in a hurry this week after a summons was issued in late February ordering her to appear before a Paris magistrate in connection with the so-called ‘ill-gotten gains' case.

Subscribers only Politics, Diplomacy 07.03.2025

Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso in Addis Ababa, on 14 February 2025.

Spotlight | Congo
Brazzaville suffers major setback in Commisimpex arbitration in Paris

An arbitration court in Paris has rejected Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso's latest appeal to overturn a tribunal ruling ordering Congo to pay over $1.5bn to Mohsen Hojeij's company, Commisimpex. It's a legal setback that exposes the methods of the lawyers and private investigators hired by Brazzaville to try to establish a corruption link between the Lebanese businessman and one of the arbitrators.

Subscribers only Business 07.11.2023

Denis Sassou Nguesso at Brazzaville airport in March 2023.

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.

Subscribers only Business 26.08.2022

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.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 15.12.2021

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.

Subscribers only Business 22.10.2021

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.

Subscribers only Business 08.10.2021

Text size

Once registered, you will be notified by a short message on your computer or mobile phone as soon as a new edition of our publication or an alert is published. Stay informed anytime, anywhere!