East Africa: East Africa Has the Raw Materials but Lacks the Factories
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East Africa possesses significant quantities of oilseeds, cotton, and hides. However, the region lacks the industrial capacity to process these raw materials into cooking oil, clothes, and shoes. Consequently, billions of dollars are spent importing finished goods made from commodities already produced by local farmers and livestock keepers.
[Independent (Kampala)] News Analysis -- East Africa has plenty of hides, cotton and oilseeds. What it lacks is the industrial capacity to turn them into shoes, clothes and cooking oil. Instead, the region spends billions of dollars importing goods made from commodities that its farmers and livestock keepers already produce.