‘Piracy won’t deter investors’

Piracy along the West and East
coasts of Africa continues to
plague project development but
will not halt investors moving
into the continent, said Paul
Runge, managing director of
Africa Project Access.
“Piracy is a major problem
and a concern that is impacting
on projects but companies
moving into the regions are
just spending more on safety
and security rather than
pulling out,” he told FTW at
the recent Africa Exchange
conference on business trends
and opportunities in southern
Africa.
“The lack of control,
especially around the Horn
of Africa, must be addressed
as economies in the long run
are being damaged by the
continued piracy problem. It is
without doubt a political issue
that requires governments
to step up and take control
to ensure there is safety and
security in the region.”