Local Insights

After ratification of the first sustainable investment facilitation agreement, between the EU and Angola, Carla Gonçalves Borges, Mariana França Gouveia, and Assunção Cristas of Vieira de Almeida analyse ESG considerations in African states’ investment treaties

ESG considerations are becoming an increasingly important factor in investment decisions in Ghana. Lady-Ann Essuman, Ewurama Osam Tawiah, and Verissa Odame-Koranteng of VINT & Aletheia, Attorneys and Consultants explain why, and how, the new reality should be embraced

As the financial services ecosystem in Nigeria continues its rapid development, DealHQ Partners provides a guide to the latest regulatory initiative regarding contactless payments

João Nuno Riquito and Hália Cerqueira of Riquito Advogados explain how Macau’s new Civil Aviation Act and airport expansion will open the market, boost competition, and modernise the region’s commercial aviation framework

Ning Zhu, Wenhui Luo, and Yang Li, Chance Bridge Law Firm

Tung Nguyen, VILAF

Amended money-laundering legislation that came into force in the Slovak Republic on November 1 2018 requires companies to register their beneficial owners in the commercial register. Previously, only companies which conducted business with the state or received public funds were required to report their beneficial owners; those beneficial owners were registered in a public register of public sector partners, a register that is separate from the commercial register. The new legislation requires all companies in Slovakia, with the exception of publicly listed companies, to register their beneficial owners in the commercial register.

Belgium is in the process of transposing the fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which has a broader scope of application than its predecessors. Here Baker McKenzie lawyers unpick its approach

For companies in financial distress, strengthening the equity base is typically one of the key pillars of a successful turnaround, as lowering the leverage ratio and improving the rating can help to reduce debt financing costs substantially. On top of this, certain (potential) business partners may refuse to engage in or discontinue business dealings with the distressed company if they have doubts about its creditworthiness which can further deteriorate the company's situation. This article sets out a non-exhaustive list of possible routes for a Swiss company (issuer) listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX) to conduct an equity raise in such a situation which requires, in particular, that the following two requirements can be achieved:

Decreased availability and increased costs of funding have altered the behaviour of borrowers and lenders in the Peruvian leveraged finance market. Thomas Thorndike of Garrigues highlights the main themes and considers the outlook

Rita de la Guardia and Patricia Cordero, Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee

Jaime Trujillo Caicedo, Alexandra Montealegre and María Camila Vargas, Baker McKenzie

Hossam Gramon, Karima Seyam, and Nour El Kholy of ADSERO – Ragy Soliman & Partners report that Egypt’s capital markets are undergoing structural reform and product diversification, reshaping the debt, ESG, and fintech sectors

Simone Del Nevo and Rahul Sud, ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners

Ezekiel Tuma, John Cunha, and Luis Cunha, ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners

Robert Katz and Charles Ruck, Latham & Watkins

Robert M Katz and Charles Ruck, Latham & Watkins

Robert Katz and Charles Ruck, Latham & Watkins