A trader peels an avocado at his grocery stall amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, in Eastleigh district of Nairobi, Kenya June 17, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

Kenya's Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development on Tuesday vowed to use its trade body to protect industries from unfair foreign competition.

Betty Maina, Cabinet Secretary for Kenya's Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development told a media briefing in Nairobi that the Kenya Trade Remedies Agency (KETRA) will provide the legal and institutional framework to shield domestic industries in accordance with the World Trade Organization laws.

She added that KETRA is expected to cushion local firms from unfair import competition and will put the country at par with peers such as Egypt and South Africa which are applying trade remedies measures in accordance with WTO principles to protect their infant domestic industries.

The trade remedy agency is expected to investigate and evaluate allegations of dumping and subsidization of imported products in Kenya.

Maina observed that going forward, Kenya will implement trade defense instruments such as anti-dumping measures, countervailing duty measures as well as safeguard actions against imports which cause material injury to local industries.

She revealed that the trade agency will ensure a level playing field for manufacturers and this will help to improve the environment for doing business in the country with a view to improving its regional and global competitiveness.