President Kagame says, "Rwanda will proceed with the ban on used clothes."

"Rwanda will proceed with the ban on used clothes." President Kagame said. “We are put in a situation where we have to choose; you choose to be a recipient of used clothes with a threat hanging, or choose to grow our own textile industries, which Rwandans deserve. This is the choice we find that we have to make. 

As far as I am concerned, making the choice is simple, even if we might suffer consequences. Even when confronted with difficult choices, there's always a way. It's time to consider Africa as an equal partner in development as opposed to a beneficiary requiring donations and aid." Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania agreed in 2016 to ban the importation of used clothes, leather products and restrict the use of old vehicles by 2018. I admire the cohesiveness of the EAC. 

Whilst I believe in free trade and competition, I also think that sometimes drastic measures are required to support local manufacturing. But banning goods or increasing taxes on used items or cheap imports have little impact without a concerted focus on infrastructural development, including power transport and an "enabling environment." 

These must improve for local industry to have any chance of competing and thriving. 

Do share your thoughts.

(Thisisafrica.me)