Kenya's Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has issued a sharp rebuke of global trade practices that he argues systematically disadvantage African economies.
Kagwe specifically targeted the phenomenon of tariff escalation, a structure in which developed nations impose low or zero duties on raw agricultural commodities but levy significantly higher tariffs on processed goods.
This dynamic, he contends, discourages industrialization on the continent by making it economically unviable for African producers to add value to their exports before reaching international markets.
Kagwe called on African nations to confront this disparity collectively, urging a unified diplomatic and trade strategy to renegotiate access terms with major importers.
The intervention highlights growing frustration among emerging-market policymakers regarding the structural inequities embedded in current global trade frameworks.
By framing tariff escalation as an unfair practice, Kagwe is signaling a shift toward more assertive trade advocacy from Kenya, a key agricultural exporter in East Africa.