US and Kenya to hold first round under their Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP)
The United States and Kenya will hold an in-person round of conceptual discussions under their Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) in Washington, DC, from February 6-10, 2023.
The United States delegation will be led by Assistant United States Trade Representative Connie Hamilton, and will include representatives from several other government agencies.
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and then-Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina launched the U.S.-Kenya STIPon July 14, 2022 and announced that their governments would pursue enhanced engagement leading to high standard commitments in a wide range of areas.
The goal of the Partnership is to increase investment; promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth; benefit workers, consumers, and businesses (including micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises); and support African regional economic integration.
The joint statement identified a set of initial issues on which the United States and Kenya share the goal of negotiating high-standard commitments in order to achieve economically meaningful outcomes. On August 5, 2022, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative published in the Federal Register a request for public comment on objectives for those areas of initial focus:
(1) agriculture, (2) anti-corruption, (3) digital trade, (4) environment and climate action, (5) good regulatory practices, (6) micro, small, and medium size enterprises, (7) protecting worker’s rights and protections, (8) supporting the participation of women, youth, and others in trade, (9) standards collaboration, (10) trade facilitation and customs procedures, and (11) services domestic regulation.
Ambassador Tai led the Presidential delegation to Kenyan President Ruto’s September 13, 2022 inauguration. In a November 3, 2022 virtual meeting with Ambassador Tai and a December 12, 2022 in-person meeting, Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria confirmed the Kenyan government’s strong interest in continuing to pursue the STIP initiative.
Update 10 February 2023
United States and Kenya Conclude Opening Round Under the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership
The United States and Kenya today concluded a week of productive meetings on the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP).
During the meetings, the two sides exchanged views on the key concepts to be addressed on almost all of the areas outlined in the July 14, 2022 joint statement announcing the initiative. The goal of the Partnership is to increase investment; promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth; benefit workers, consumers, and businesses (including micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises); and support African regional economic integration.
The joint statement identified a set of initial issues on which the United States and Kenya share the goal of negotiating high-standard commitments in order to achieve economically meaningful outcomes. in the following initial areas: (1) agriculture, (2) anti-corruption, (3) digital trade, (4) environment and climate action, (5) good regulatory practices, (6) micro, small, and medium size enterprises, (7) protecting worker’s rights and protections, (8) services domestic regulation;,(9) supporting the participation of women, youth, and others in trade, (10) standards collaboration, and (11) trade facilitation and customs procedures.
The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa Connie Hamilton. The Kenyan delegation was led by Trade Principal Secretary Alfred K’Ombudo. The U.S. delegation also included representatives from over 20 U.S. Government agencies.
The two sides agreed to hold additional meetings in the coming months.
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