The US Chamber of Commerce has put US President Joe Biden under pressure to seal the free trade agreement with Kenya in order to secure new investment opportunities.
The deal had been initiated by Biden's predecessor Donald Trump on July 8, 2020. However, negotiations stalled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The business group, considered to be the world's most influential group on the US political scene, sought for Biden's administration to take up negotiations where Trump had left off.
"The Chamber supports the negotiation of a high-standard free trade agreement with Kenya, which may serve as a model for future trade and investment engagement with Africa,” the business group stated.
There had been uncertainty arising over the deal following the reversal of numerous policies by Biden's administration that had been rolled out by Trump. Among these policies include anti-immigration policies and issues surrounding climate change.
However, a previous conversation between Biden and President Uhuru Kenyatta hinted at the possibility of the deal being sealed as Biden expressed interest in building a strong and lasting relationship between the two countries.
The US President's stance on the deal is likely to be revealed when his nominee for America’s trade representative post, Katherine Tai, appears before the US Senate during a confirmation hearing later on in the month.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, during a meeting with former US Ambassador Kyle McCarter, had reiterated Kenya's determination to conclude the deal.
He added that the deal would build on the successes achieved under African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
In 2019, trading between US and Kenya resulted in Ksh118 billion, a 4.8 percent increase from 2018.
The current deal under AGOA allows 40 African Countries to export thousands of products to the US market without tariffs. The deal is set to expire in 2025.
