A United Nations trade body has cautioned Kenya against a wholesale ban on second-hand electronic gadget imports, arguing the policy may hurt the affordability of the devices and slow efforts to narrow the digital divide.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development says anti-dumping rules should be balanced out with “the ability to harness circularity and development opportunities from international trade in used” electronic and electrical devices.
The agency has cited Kenya—alongside Uganda and Ghana—as countries in Africa that have reportedly prohibited imports of digitalisation-related waste, including second-hand items.
“Although there is a clear need to ban imports of digitalisation-related waste that do not meet legitimate purposes, the case for a wholesale ban on imports of used functional digital equipment may not be as straightforward,” the UNCTAD wrote in its Digital Economy Report 2024.
“If the equipment can be reused, is truly second-hand and can be repaired or refurbished, it can contribute to value-addition, job creation, and affordability, alleviating digital divides, therefore advancing developmental objectives.”
Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority banned the importation of second-hand electronic gadgets in January 2020 to protect the country from being used as an e-waste dumpsite.
The prohibition has mostly affected electronic gadgets, old computers, and laptops by donors and multinationals to schools and other institutions in the country.
There is still, however, widespread importation of refurbished laptops, desktops, and mobile phones, which are nearing the end of their useful life, and which enter the country in consignments together with other goods.
“Some countries may ban imports of second-hand equipment to stimulate the growth of domestic electronics manufacturing,” UNCTAD researchers say.