Thread by @TonyMurega

TRADE, not AID, is what Africa needs to achieve for economic growth & a transition to industrialised/developed status.
Thoughtless liberalisation, the kind Kenya seeks with developed world isn't the kind of trade we need.
We need more Intra-Africa trade & guarded liberalisation.

Opening kenya's economy to seriously unequal competition without laying down a foundation (& short term safeguards to domestic industry) to ensure stimulation of competitiveness by domestic industry in the medium term, incl technological transfer is a suicide pill to the economy.

Kenya's domestic industry was wiped out by this kind of thoughtless liberalisation imposed by brettonhood institutions (IMF &WB) in late 80s & early 90s. That mistake shouldn't be repeated.
Nations that embraced gradual & guarded liberalisation had different, but better outcomes.

Actually, even the Asian tigers that we speak of so fondly & endeavour to emulate never opened their economies to the extent that destroyed their cottage industries.
They first firmed their competitive advantage before taking on the world economic titans on matters trade.

The rush to impress the world with misguided free trade economic posture will be catastrophic. Soon enough.
Eg US & UK have rigid protection safeguards for industries considered critical to their economies.
Agriculture is one of them.
No pure Free trade exists esp among unequals.

*to achieve economic growth*

https://twitter.com/TonyMurega/status/1364135803459403782?s=19