Baker Botts advises the Government of Afghanistan

Baker Botts LLP has advised the Government of Afghanistan on long-term planning for a public-private partnership for a major gas to power project to support rebuilding of the Afghan natural gas sector. The work was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The fully developed value of the project could be as much as US$600 million.

Advanced Engineering Associates International (AEAI) engaged Baker Botts’ Global Projects Practice to advise on the legal and contractual structure of this public-private partnership to construct and operate a commercial natural gas gathering and processing facility to serve several gas fields in northern Afghanistan.

“This is the first project that AEAI has done with Baker Botts acting as external advisors to the Afghanistan Government. Their team demonstrated exceptional insight into international energy sector public-private partnerships. We are pleased with the results,” said Stroud C. Kelley, J.D. AEAI’s Chief of party in Kabul.

“AEAI is a globally renowned energy infrastructure and energy efficiency expert and we look forward to working with them again in the future. The Afghan Government has advised us that the recommendation and draft Project documents we submitted may be used to issue a tender for the development of the Project, once favourable commercial conditions are met. Our team will be monitoring the outcome with great interest,” added Sofia Sattarova, a Dubai based partner with Baker Botts.

The Baker Botts advisory team prepared an analysis and recommendation on the structuring between the Government of the Afghanistan and a private investor for the project.

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

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