Niger settles debt with Middle East airport operator to halt $35m New York mansion being seized
The government of Niger has settled a decades-long dispute with a Middle East airport provider, preventing a $35 million New York mansion it owns from being seized. The African nation had been ordered to pay $7.6 million to Menzies Aviation, which has a regional office in Dubai and operates in Iraq, Jordan and Egypt. Menzies' dispute with Niger dates back to 2004, when it was awarded a 10-year…
In a significant move to avoid the seizure of a $35 million New York mansion, the government of Niger has reached a confidential settlement with Middle East airport operator Menzies Aviation. The dispute dates back to 2004 when Menzies was awarded a 10-year contract to manage ground-handling services at Niger's airports, which the African nation later canceled.
Menzies held onto its personnel and equipment without compensation, leading to a lawsuit and an arbitration case at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Niger initially challenged ICSID's jurisdiction but later defaulted on the arbitration proceedings, failing to appear in the US court where a default judgment awarded Menzies $7.6 million.
Despite Niger's attempts to keep the property, a New York judge granted Menzies permission to seize the mansion due to the country's inability to pay. In a breakthrough, Niger has now settled the debt, avoiding the seizure of the property that was originally the ambassador's residence. The exact amount paid remains undisclosed, but it is confirmed that Niger has fulfilled its financial obligations, including interest and costs.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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