Law & Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Globalized Markets & Legal Regimes
Africa is undergoing an unprecedented period of growth and change. This vast and dynamic continent offers investors a wealth of opportunities, reflected in increasing international and cross-border investment activity. However, Africa can be a complex environment in which to operate, being subject to a wide variety of laws and business practices, and unique challenges in the realm of rule of law and governance. In recent years, the proliferation of international trade and investment treaties has been met with calls for transparency, accountability and a renewed commitment to sustainable development.
This panel will explore the many facets of economic globalization in Africa—from project finance and deal structuring to dispute resolution; to human rights, environmental and public policy concerns. By including a range of perspectives, the panel aims to provide a snapshot of the existing legal framework and reflect on the way forward for trade, development and rule of law on the continent.
Axel Acakpo-Satchivi, Esq., Milbank, Tweed, Hadley McCloy LLP.
Matthew W. Howard, Esq., Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, Hamilton LLP, Associate
Susan D. Maples, Esq., Columbia Law School; Revenue Watch
Jacqueline Musiitwa, Esq., Transitional Trade, Founder and Executive Director
Andrianne Payson, Esq., Dewey & Leboeuf LLP, Partner
Moderator: Brendan Schwartz, Breaking Ground Cameroon, Co-Founder; Ngaoundere Community Research and Development Center (COREDEC), Coordinator, Educational and Development Programmes
Axel Acakpo-Satchivi, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley McCloy, LLP
Axel Acakpo-Satchivi is a senior associate in the New York office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP and is a member of the Global Project Finance Department.
His experience includes: representation of the lenders to the Kouilou Potash Project in Congo (Brazzaville); representation of the lenders to the lenders to the Ambatovy Nickel Mine Project in Madagascar; representation of the lenders to the CIBA cement project in Algeria; representation of the cost overrun lenders in the Kwale Mineral Sands Project in Kenya; representation of the lenders to the Lumwana copper-cobalt mine in Zambia; representation of the lenders to the Unicem Cement Plan in Nigeria; and representation of the lenders and agent in the restructuring of the Bulyanhulu Gold Project in Tanzania.
Matthew W. Howard, Esq.
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen, Hamilton LLP, Associate
Matthew W. Howard is an associate based in the New York office.
Mr. Howard's practice focusses primarily on private equity and securities transactions, with an emphasis on Sub Saharan Africa.
Mr. Howard joined the firm in 2004. He received a J.D. degree from New York University School of Law in 2004, where he was an Articles Editor for the Law Review and Co-Chair of the Law Review's Diversity Committee, and an undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College in 1999, where he was a Mellon Fellow.
Mr. Howard is a member of the Bar in New York.
Susan D. Maples, Esq.
Columbia Law School; Revenue Watch
Susan Maples is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Columbia Law School and Legal Fellow at The Revenue Watch Institute. Her research focuses on extractive industries contracts and their potential role for creating positive development gains in producing countries. Her current research is on barriers to contract transparency in the extractive industries, with a focus on confidentiality clauses in these contracts. With Columbia’s Earth Institute and the European Commission, Susan assisted the government of Liberia in its contract review and renegotiations. More recently, she was on The Carter Center's team of lawyers, bankers, and consultants providing independent analysis and technical assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ministry of Mines as it conducted a review and renegotiation of its mining contracts.
Jacqueline Musiitwa, Esq.
Transitional Trade, Founder and Executive Director
Jacqueline Musiitwa, Esq, is the founder and executive director of Transitional Trade, a non-profit whose mission it is to promote social trade, investment and entrepreneurship in post-conflict countries and transitional communities. Additionally, she started and runs, Hoja Law Group, a New York based boutique law firm which represents start ups, non-profits and small businesses in corporate and intellectual property transactions both in the United States and Africa. Jacqueline began her career at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where she focused on corporate and outsourcing matters.
She is an Adjunct Professor of International Law at Central Michigan University and Sociopolitics and Economics of Africa at Drexel. Her areas of research focus on the politics and socioeconomics of post-conflict countries, Sino-Africa relations, social entrepreneurship and South-South relations.
She earned her BA in Political Science and International Studies from Davidson College and her JD from the University of Melbourne, where she was a member of the Melbourne Journal of International Law.
Andrianne Payson, Esq.
Dewey & Leboeuf LLP, Partner
Andrianne Payson is a Partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, in their project finance, mergers & acquisitions departments. The focus of her practice is energy, power and pipelines. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Payson was a senior auditor in the energy group at Pricewaterhouse LLP. She has worked with utility and non-utility clients in the energy industry on a variety of transactions, including acquisitions and sales of energy assets, utility mergers and infrastructure development projects. She also advises Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc., one of eight regional entities that comprise the members of NERC, on corporate and board governance matters. Many of Ms. Payson's largest projects have focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. She has represented Volta River Authority (Ghana) in connection with the development of the $590 million West African Gas Pipeline project, sponsored by affiliates of Chevron and Shell and state governmental agencies in Ghana and Nigeria.
Brendan Schwartz
Breaking Ground Cameroon, Co-Founder; Ngaoundere Community Research and Development Center (COREDEC), Coordinator, Educational and Development Programmes
Brendan Schwartz is originally from Boulder, Colorado. He received his BA in International Relations from Connecticut College in 2007.
Brendan has been researching African politics, culture, education, and development since studying abroad in Cameroon his junior year of college. He is particularly interested in the socio-economic impacts of large resource extraction projects on rural communities in Africa.
In 2006, Brendan co-founded Breaking Ground, a volunteer organization that sends Americans to live and work in Cameroon.
Brendan is currently working with the Ngaoundere Community Research and Development Center (COREDEC) in Northern Cameroon on a number of education and development programs.