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Related Keywords: African fashion and design industry, challenged to take up garment manufacturing, EAC countries, East African Community, imported second hand clothes, job creation, preparing to phase-out, requires low level technology and skills, support industrialization, textile industry players

East African Community (EAC) countries – Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, as they are preparing to phase-out imported second hand clothes by 2018 to support industrialization and job creation in the region, the textile industry players have been challenged to take up garment manufacturing that requires low level technology and skills.

Related Keywords: AGOA, American Growth and Opportunities Act, began discussion on review, East African Community, Government of Rwandan, in a bid to ensure continued duty free access, Rwanda is not locked out of trade window, Textile Industry, US market

The government of Rwandan in a bid to ensure continued duty free access to the US market has began discussion with the United States on the review of the American Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA). Rwanda Development Board Chief Operating Officer, Emmanuel Hategeka said that they are in talks with the US to ensure Rwanda is not locked out of the trade window.

He said that they are talking to their partners in the US as they value their trade and relations with the US and they are doing all that is possible not to be out of cycle and of course they have been engaging on the issue.

Related Keywords: East African Community, eighteen percent Value Added Tax, Government moves to phase out used clothes, hampering campaign, heavy custom duties, Made-in-Rwanda campaign, promote locally manufactured clothes, slowed down if more incentives not introduced, textile player, textiles manufacturers, twenty five percent levy on imported raw materials

Made-in-Rwanda campaign launched in 2014 might be slowed down if more incentives are not introduced by the Government to promote locally manufactured clothes. As heavy custom duties are hampering the campaign as the Government moves to phase out used clothes, textiles manufacturers, according to industrialists.

Related Keywords: admission of South Sudan to EAC, agree to start process to impose ban, collapse of textile industry, commonly know as mitumba, East African Community, Gikomba, Kenyas largest open air mitumba market, majority of second hand clothes, on second hand clothes, source of income to many, traders not welcoming decision

On admission of South Sudan to the EAC, East African Community (EAC) member states have agreed to start a process to impose a ban on second hand clothes. However, traders have not welcomed the decision as majority of second hand clothes, commonly known as ‘mitumba’, is a source of income to many.