Mekdes Mezgebu

Partner

Head of Energy, Power & Infrastructure

Addis Ababa

Phone: +251 911 431 387

Email: mekdes@tazalegal.com

Areas of Expertise

Projects & Infrastructure

Energy & Power

Project Finance & Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

Corporate & Commercial Law

Capital Markets

Mekdes leads Taza Legal’s Energy, Power and Infrastructure Practice and is widely recognised as one of Ethiopia’s leading projects and infrastructure lawyers. She advises governments, public authorities, state-owned utilities, development finance institutions, commercial lenders, sponsors and strategic investors on the structuring, procurement and financing of large-scale infrastructure projects. Her practice focuses on energy and power, project finance, public-private partnerships, infrastructure development and capital markets solutions for major investment projects.

Highlights include:

Advising the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and St. Peter’s Comprehensive General Hospital on the design, structuring, procurement and implementation of Ethiopia’s first health-sector Public-Private Partnership project.

Advising the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and Defence Comprehensive General Hospital on the development and procurement of a defence hospital PPP project.

Advising Ethiopian Investment Holdings on the potential development and procurement of a 500 MW solar PPP power project in the Afar and Somali regions.

Advising AMEA Power on Ethiopia’s first wind PPP project involving the development of a 300 MW power plant in Aysha, Somali Regional State.

Advising Gridworks Development Partners on the potential development of an electricity transmission PPP project in Ethiopia.

Advising KEFI Minerals on the development and financing of a gold mining project in Ethiopia.

Advising Axian Energy on the procurement of a 250 MW solar power project in Ethiopia.

Advising the African Development Bank Group in connection with the financing of the US$12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport project.

Advising SACE, UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti on the financing of the €750 million Koysha Hydroelectric Power Project.

Advising the International Finance Corporation on private-sector participation in Ethiopia’s energy sector through Public-Private Partnerships.

Mekdes is recognised by Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR1000 as a leading projects and infrastructure practitioner in Ethiopia. She has advised governments, development finance institutions, international lenders, energy developers and strategic investors on many of the country’s most significant infrastructure and energy projects.

In addition to her legal practice, Mekdes serves on the Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange and is a regular speaker at leading international energy, infrastructure and investment forums across Africa and beyond.

Mekdes Mezgebu

Areas of Expertise

Highlights include:

Protective. Enduring. Trusted. Strategic.