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OHADA law and regional law

We assist our clients (international and multinational companies, foreign corporations, local businesses, banks and financial institutions, investors and investment funds, entrepreneurs/startups, and public-private partnerships and public entities) in Africa in understanding and applying the norms of OHADAlaw (Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa) and regional regulations, in particular UEMOA, CEMAC, and ECOWAS laws, to ensure legal security of their operations.

 

Areas of expertise in OHADA law and regional laws

OHADA laws and Uniform Acts

The OHADAframework has draftedd and implemented in its member states 10 Uniform Acts covering general commercial law, securities law, commercial companies and economic interest groups law, simplified  recovery procedures and measures of execution, insolvency proceedings, accounting law, carriage of goods by road, cooperative societies law, arbitration law  mediation .

We apply these Uniform Acts across a variety of sectors and legal matters. These texts, which harmonize business law within OHADAmember states, form the legal foundation for complex operations such as M&A, commercial disputes, and project finance.

Our expertise spans all legal challenges faced by our clients within the OHADAregion, enabling us to provide tailored solutions in compliance with local laws.

We also assist our clients in navigating the legal frameworks of regional laws such as UEMOA and CEMAC. These unified regimes facilitate a harmonized approach to business law, essential for cross-border transactions and regional projects.

Joint ventures and mergers & acquisitions

In the field of joint ventures and M&A, we leverage these norms to conduct due diligence on local companies, legally structure operations, and ensure the compliance of contractual documentation with OHADA and regional laws.

Financing

We provide advice on credit agreements and the drafting of securities under OHADA law. We help our clients navigate local regulations to optimize their financial operations and ensure compliance with regional standards.

Commercial law

We offer expertise in contract law by drafting and negotiating commercial agreements that align with local legal frameworks.

Dispute resolution

We advise our clients on litigation strategies at all stages of proceedings, whether judicial or arbitral.

Our firm represents states, state entities, and multinational corporations in international commercial and investment arbitration, both ad hoc and institutional (ICC, ICSID, CCJA, CMAP, DIAC, LCIA, SCC, CAS, etc.). Our expertise in OHADAarbitration is based on an in-depth understanding of the rules and principles governing this mechanism, particularly through the involvement of the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA), which ensures uniformity of decisions and legal security within this jurisdiction.

We handle a wide variety of disputes arising from major industrial projects in sectors such as agribusiness, construction, defense, energy, infrastructure, mining, new technologies, satellites, and telecommunications, across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Examples of support in OHADA law

Advising a Central African airline on the issuance of convertible bonds under OHADA law.

Assisting EDFI, TRIODOS, and GAIA in financing an energy project in Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Togo.

Supporting the establishment of a local law joint venture for a fiber-optic capacity project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Awards

Awards
Décideurs
De Gaulle Fleurance recognized in the Décideurs – Leaders League 2024 ranking, category Africa Desk.
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Awards Corporate / M&A
Best Lawyers
Jean-Baptiste Santelli recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers France
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Awards International Arbitration
Best Lawyers
Capucine Du Pac de Marsoulies recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers France

Our professionals

Jean-Baptiste
Santelli
Partner
Cyril
Legendre
Legal Counsel
Laurence
Vanderstraete
Lawyer - Senior Counsel
Samantha
Nataf
Partner

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