Kinshasa is facing a $51 million lawsuit in New York.
Two companies linked to French businessman Guy Hazout are accusing the Congolese government and several of its officials of failing to pay for ambulance contracts, Africa Intelligence reported.
Jacob “Jack” Hazout (often called Guy Hazout) is a discreet French consultant and business broker who has played a key role as an intermediary for the Chinese defense industry in Africa for several years.
Discreet intermediary for Chinese companies like Norinco (North China Industries Corp)
Jack (Jacob) Hazout, a French consultant based in Hong Kong, is identified as a key intermediary who facilitated numerous arms deals for Chinese giants Norinco (North China Industries Corp) and Poly Technologies. Although he operates with great discretion, Hazout is described as a “secret weapon” of Beijing, using his companies EDS and Blueshield Capital to negotiate defense contracts in strategic areas. His main activity has historically focused on Francophone Africa (particularly Central Africa and the Congo), but he has recently expanded his network into Central Asia.
Jack (Jacob) Hazout’s Chinese Partners
Norinco is a Chinese state-owned enterprise producing heavy equipment, defense systems, and drones.
Poly Technologies is a subsidiary of the China Poly Group, specializing in the export of missiles and military equipment for the army, navy, and air force.
In addition to arms, Jack (Jacob) Hazout
has supported these conglomerates in their expansion into the energy, mining, and public works sectors in Africa. His network has expanded into the ambulance and pharmaceutical sectors, often through entities like Civilia Corporate. In telecommunications, Jack (Jacob) Hazout previously co-invested in the Malagasy operator Madacom.
In the DRC, more recently, two companies linked to Hazout accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its officials of non-payment for contracts to supply medical equipment, including ambulances. Two companies, Ray’s Holdings Group and Civilia Corp (both linked to French businessman Guy Hazout), filed a lawsuit in April 2026 against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for $51 million, claiming non-payment for ambulance contracts.
Hazout, a “secret weapon” of Beijing
China North Industries Corp., known as Norinco, has made a bid to acquire the copper and cobalt assets held by Chemaf SA. The $1.4 billion offer, submitted in June 2025 by the Chinese defense and industrial giant, was blocked by the Congolese state-owned mining company Gécamines following lobbying by US officials against China’s growing influence in the Copperbelt, a mining region in Central Africa.
Ultimately, the Democratic Republic of Congo approved the sale of Chemaf to the American company Virtus Minerals in exchange for Norinco. Many observers believe that Jack (Jacob) Hazout is using Beijing’s secret weapon in the context of settling scores with Norinco.
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