US and Kenya to hold first negotiating round under their Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP)
The United States and Kenya will hold an in-person negotiating round under their Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) in Kenya from April 17-20, 2023. The United States delegation will be led by Assistant United States Trade Representative Connie Hamilton, and will include representatives from several other U.S. government agencies.
Conceptual discussions under the STIP initiative were held in Washington, DC, on February 6-February 10, 2023. During those meetings, the United States and Kenya engaged in productive discussions and exchanged views on the key concepts to be addressed in the trade areas set out in the July 14, 2022 joint statement launching the STIP initiative.
Additional details regarding the upcoming April negotiating round will be provided at a later date.
Background
The United States and Kenya launched the U.S.-Kenya STIP on July 14, 2022 and announced that the two 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 ( download it at the link above) a request for public comment on objectives for those areas of initial focus:
- agriculture,
- anti-corruption,
- digital trade,
- environment and climate action,
- good regulatory practices,
- micro, small, and medium size enterprises,
- protecting worker’s rights and protections,
- supporting the participation of women, youth, and others in trade,
- standards collaboration,
- trade facilitation and customs procedures, and
- 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.
Follow AGOA.info's coverage of the US-Kenya SITP at this link.
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