, NAIROBI, Kenya, June 20 – Kenya remains focused on efforts to curb the dumping of cheap imports into the country as the government props up the manufacturing sector to drive economic growth.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives says the Kenya Trade Remedies Agency will be in place by the end of July, 2019. This is in line with the government’s resolve to address all governance gaps in the fight against illicit trade and dumping.
“Through the agency, we are going to be able to take some steps to help protect our vulnerable industries from dumping. The agency has been established to investigate and impose anti-dumping, countervailing and trade safeguard measures,” assured Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo.
The PS was speaking during activities to mark the World Anti-Counterfeit Day which brought together national and international organizations involved in the fight against counterfeit trade to increase consumer awareness of the risks and costs associated with trade in counterfeits.
“The technical team funded by Trade Mark East Africa which has been in the country since February has provided invaluable support in the setting up set of the Agency,” said the PS.
“This is an important trade defence measure and we hope to have the agency up before the end of July,” he said.
Kenya will become the third country in Africa after Egypt and South Africa to set up an agency to help protect its market from dumping.
The local edition of the the World Anti Counterfeit Day was marked at he Export Processing Zones Authority grounds in Athi River, where the Anti Counterfeit Authority (ACA) led the destruction of counterfeit goods worth over Sh27 million and also announced the beginning of the Kuwa Sure Public Awareness Campaign.
A national action plan to ensure agencies tasked with combating illicit trade work together was also launched.
With approximately 80% of all imports into Kenya passing through the Port of Mombasa and according to Kenya Ports Authority estimates that 3,000 container-loads are railed to ICDN Embakasi daily, there will be an unprecedented challenge for enforcement since sustained verification for consolidated cargo definitely leads to delays at the ports of entry.
