Kenya has signed 10 lucrative trade deals with the United States.
In a statement on Thursday, July 14, Ambassador Katherine Tai, the 19th United States Trade Representative, stated that the relationship between the two countries was crucial and the new deals offered an opportunity to work together on shared priorities.
The deals include Agriculture, Anti-Corruption, Digital Trade, Environment and Climate Change Action, Good Regulatory Practices, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Workers’ Rights and Protections, Supporting Participation of Women, Youth, and Others in Trade, Standards Collaboration, and Trade Facilitation and Customs Procedures.
Tai noted that the U.S. and the Kenyan governments will commence working within three months to develop a detailed roadmap for engagement in each of these areas.
“The US-Kenya relationship is critical to addressing key regional and global challenges – and this initiative represents an opportunity to work together on shared priorities including labour, environment, digital trade, trade facilitation, and good regulatory practices.
“I look forward to working with the Kenyan government over the next few months to build out this partnership and grow our trade and investment relationship in a way that promotes resilience and facilitates sustainable and inclusive economic growth that benefits our workers and our planet.
"We also hope that this initiative can serve as a model for trade policy engagement in Africa, one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions in the world.”
Ambassador Tai held a virtual meeting with Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina where they agreed that Kenya and the USA would pursue enhanced engagement leading to high standard commitments in a wide range of areas with a view to increasing investment.
In order to improve transparency and understanding of the application of science - and risk-based Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, the United States and Kenya would discuss steps to promote agricultural commerce.
The two countries also agreed to discuss and negotiate specific promises and exchange best practices for preventing and combating bribery and corruption.
In order to promote consumer, business, and worker trust in the digital economy, guarantee information access, encourage the creation and use of resilient and secure digital infrastructure, foster competition and the participation of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and address discriminatory practices, the United States and Kenya have common interests.
Kenya and the US also agreed to bolster initiatives, related to measures for climate adaptation and mitigation. The two countries will also look into ways to cooperate as well as chances to deepen their individual commitments in this regard.
