Mesfin Tafesse

Managing Partner of Taza Legal

Addis Ababa

Email: mesfin@tazalegal.com

Areas of Expertise

Corporate & Commercial Law

Mergers & Acquisitions

Banking & Finance

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

Project Finance & Infrastructure

Mesfin is the Managing Partner of Taza Legal LLP and one of Ethiopia’s most respected business lawyers. With more than 35 years of experience, he advises governments, multinational corporations, international financial institutions, development finance institutions, private equity funds and strategic investors on complex transactions across mergers and acquisitions, project finance, public-private partnerships, banking and finance, infrastructure, energy, mining and foreign investment. Mesfin was among the legal experts involved in drafting Ethiopia’s Public-Private Partnership Policy and Proclamation and the country’s Investment Proclamations.

Highlights include:

Serving as one of the principal Ethiopian legal experts responsible for drafting Ethiopia’s first Public-Private Partnership Policy and PPP Proclamation.

Acting as Ethiopian counsel on the IFC-led Scaling Solar Programme, one of Ethiopia’s flagship renewable energy initiatives designed to facilitate the development of up to 500 MW of solar generation capacity.

Advising AMEA Power on the development of the 300 MW Aysha Wind One Project, including the negotiation of the Power Purchase Agreement, Government Implementation Agreement and associated project documentation.

Advising international lenders and development finance institutions, including the IFC, European Investment Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, China Development Bank, China EXIM Bank and DEG, on project finance, secured lending and cross-border investment structures.

Advising multinational investors and private equity funds on acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic investments across manufacturing, mining, telecommunications, agribusiness and financial services.

Representing MTN in connection with Ethiopia’s landmark telecommunications liberalisation process and advising MTN ICT Services on regulatory and operational matters.

Advising leading international mining companies and investors, including YARA, Newmont, Allana Potash, Centamin, KEFI Minerals and Vale, on exploration, licensing, investment structuring and regulatory compliance.

Representing Wilmar Europe Holding B.V. in one of Ethiopia’s largest shareholder disputes involving claims exceeding ETB 370 million.

Representing parties in ICC arbitrations conducted in Geneva and Paris involving major infrastructure and construction projects.

Advising the Ethiopian Investment Commission on amendments to Ethiopia’s investment and industrial parks legislation.

Mesfin is widely recognised as one of Ethiopia’s leading corporate and investment lawyers. He has been consistently ranked Band 1 in Ethiopia by Chambers & Partners for more than a decade and is also recognised by Legal 500 and IFLR1000.

In addition to his legal practice, Mesfin has played a significant role in shaping Ethiopia’s investment and regulatory framework. He has served as Commissioner of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Head of the Civil Cases Department at the Ministry of Justice, Co-Director of Ethiopia’s Justice System Reform Programme, and a member of expert task forces responsible for revising Ethiopia’s investment legislation and legal practice framework.

Mesfin Tafesse

Areas of Expertise

Highlights include:

Protective. Enduring. Trusted. Strategic.