NAIROBI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's manufacturers are seeking to expand their sales across the African market in order to boost revenues, an industry lobby said on Tuesday.
Mucai Kunyiha, chairman of Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) told a virtual trade forum that the traditional markets in the East African Community (EAC) bloc have been declining in the past ten years due to stiff competition from international players.
"We see the African continent as an avenue to revive the industrial sector through the use of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)," Kunyiha said during a webinar on the implementation of the AfCFTA.
On Jan. 1, the continent began trading under the new liberalized regime.
Kunyiha said that Kenya cannot grow its manufacturing base without reliance on export markets.
He observed that Kenya is one of the few African countries that have a sizable industrial sector and so the single continental market will boost local manufacturers.
George Dinda, principal trade development officer, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Enterprises Development said that the full implementation of the AfCFTA will enable Kenya goods to achieve greater access in the west, central and north Africa where the country has no preferential trade agreements.
Dinda added that Kenya is gearing up to begin trading under the AfCFTA and has already prepared a draft implementation strategy in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
"We have also submitted a schedule of tariff concessions and the same has been sent to the African Union Commission," he added. Enditem
