OREANDA-NEWS. The African Legal Support Facility will participate in the 17th Annual Africa Energy Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from June 8-11, 2015. The event held annually allows participants to deliberate about developments in Africa’s power sector.

Over the course of three days, the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) will host the Ministerial Session that will feature over 9 Ministers from African countries where they will share insights and knowledge on the power sector in their respective countries.

Stephen Karangizi, Director and CEO of the ALSF, will be giving a keynote presentation at the opening of the Ministerial Session. This key note is expected to highlight the ways the ALSF can help facilitate power project development. Amir Shaikh, Chief Legal Counsel of the ALSF, will be speaking at the session titled “Taking Lessons to Invest in Power in New ‘Frontier’ Markets.”

Alex Rugamba, Director of the Environment and Climate Change Department at the African Development Bank Group, will be speaking on a panel discussion titled “Technology Focus – Connecting the Gap Between Temporary and Permanent Power.” Keith Martin, Initiative for Risk Mitigation in Africa, Private Sector Operations of the African Development Bank Group will be speaking on a panel discussion titled “Finance Focus – The Latest Developments in Risk Mitigation.”

During the forum, the ALSF will interact with government ministers and international investors about its interventions that seek to bridge gaps in legal capabilities in Africa. The ALSF tries to ensure fair and balanced negotiations for complex commercial transactions such as independent power projects.    

The ALSF will also host James Musoni, Minister of Infrastructure, Rwanda; Kwabena Donkor, Minister of Power, Ghana; Irene Muloni, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Uganda; and Charles Zulu, Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development, Zambia. More than 1,500 participants from government, utilities, financial investors, power technology providers and developers are expected to attend.

The ALSF will share its expertise and thoughts on why and how the sector should be interested in getting a deal that will be fair and balanced; a deal that all shareholders and stakeholders will be happy with. Transactions accounting for shareholder and stakeholder interest will reduce the needs for renegotiations and create a more sustainable environment. A well-advised government is more likely to strike a deal that is fair and balanced for all parties in a timely manner.

The ALSF is a public international organization hosted by the African Development Bank based in Abidjan, C?te d’Ivoire. It provides legal assistance to governments related to commercial creditor disputes and contract negotiation. It is currently advising governments on over USD 24 billion worth of transactions and over 1,300 MW of energy projects.