Politics and policy
China pledges help for fighting counterfeits in Africa
Anti-Counterfeit Agency officers during an impromptu crackdown on electronic shops along Luthuli Avenue in Nairobi on June 11, 2012. China has pledged to help African countries strengthen their customs departments capacity to control the entry of counterfeit goods. File
Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 15:39
China has pledged to help African countries strengthen their customs departments capacity to control the entry of counterfeit goods.
China, a key exporter to Africa has been blamed for most of the fake and substandard goods – ranging from electronics to medical goods – that have flooded the African market in the last ten years.
Last year, Chinese exporters shipped in goods worth Sh144 billion compared to just Sh3.8 billion that Kenya exported
Data from Kenya association of manufacturers puts the market and tax lost by Kenya annually to counterfeits and substandard goods at Sh50 billion
Speaking today at the Forum for China Africa Cooperation in Beijing, President President Hu Jintao sought to repair this image, promising to help countries in the region to upgrade their customs and commodity inspection units to curb circulation of substandard goods.
The money for strengthening customs will come from the Sh1.7 trillion-loan-facility ($ 20 billion) which the Asian country has pledged to disburse to African countries over the next three years.
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