In March 2024, Sylla & Partners, a leading business law firm in Guinea, acted as local legal counsel to China Export Import Bank (CEXIM) in connection with the financing of Blocks 1 and 2 of the Simandou project, one of the largest integrated mining and infrastructure projects in Africa.
This landmark transaction relates to the development of the mining, railway, and port components of the Simandou project and required extensive legal expertise in mining law , project finance, and investment regulation in Guinea.
As part of this mandate, Sylla & Partners provided legal assistance including the conduct of legal due diligence on the project companies involved in the mining, rail, and port components, the review and verification of compliance of all permits and authorisations required under Guinean law, and the review of key agreements and conventions governing the project. These included mining, railway, and port conventions, investment agreements, co-development agreements, and financing documentation.
The mandate also involved complex issues of corporate structuring and regulatory compliance under Guinean corporate law , as well as tax considerations related to the financing and operation of the project under Guinean tax law .
Through this assignment, Sylla & Partners further demonstrates its ability to advise international financial institutions and public-sector stakeholders on large-scale mining and infrastructure projects in Guinea, delivering high-level local legal expertise aligned with international transaction standards.
Further information on similar mandates handled by the firm is available in the References section. For additional details, Sylla & Partners can be contacted directly via our contact page.