Kenya, US advance talks on trade and investment partnership
Kenya and the United States of America have successfully completed the second round of negotiations on Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP), an agreement that aims to strengthen the two countries’ bilateral and investment relations.
Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria said a lot of progress has been made in the negotiations, an indication that both states are committed to enhancing trade between the two countries.
He said the partnership also aims at boosting trade and investment relations by anchoring the same in a formal binding bilateral agreement.
“There is significant progress in several areas of coverage which include digital trade, services domestic regulations, standards collaboration, micro small and medium enterprises, labour, agriculture, women and youth and anti-corruption measures,” said Kuria.
The CS said the areas of focus will help to create a more conducive environment for trade and investment thereby boosting economies in both countries.
Kuria added that the Kenya government has made the process participatory by engaging all stakeholders.
The CS was speaking on Thursday evening at a Nairobi hotel during a communiqué on the status of the STIP negotiations while in the company of Constance Hamilton, Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa and Chief Negotiator for the USA, Principal Secretary Trade Alfred K’Ombudo, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Kenya Ambassador David Gacheru and negotiators from the two countries.
He commended the US team for their hard work, commitment and for sharing texts in the areas of Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Anti-corruption and Services Domestic Regulation.
“There is need to move forward conceptual engagements on the environment, trade facilitation and customs procedures and good regulatory practices into text-based negotiations,” added the CS.
Kuria also suggested that the remaining areas of negotiations be text-based due to the tight timelines, noting that the Kenya government has prioritised the conclusion of the negotiation by December 2023.
“We recognise that time is of the essence, and we are fully committed to ensuring that our people enjoy the benefits of this agreement as soon as possible,” he stated.
The CS said to enhance trade and investment in the counties, the government will put in place Export Processing Zones (EPZ) in Eldoret and Busia and promised that next week he will gazette the establishment of EPZs in Murang’a, Sagana and Nakuru to boost the country’s economy at both the national and county level.
He at the same time urged Governors to safeguard the investments the government is setting at the counties.
The US chief negotiators team has been in the country from April 17 to 21, 2023 for the second round of STIP negotiations with the Kenya team.
The current existing framework of the African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA) is set to expire hence the need for the adoption of a longer-term and to secure bilateral trade agreement.
Read related news articles
Kenya-US trade agreement 'may need a rethink on workers'
The US and Kenya announced a trade and investment partnership in July 2022. Talks have been progressing on the way forward in nine areas, including agriculture, anti-corruption, digital trade, environment and climate change action, and workers’ rights and protections. The Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) will be the first significant trade partnership between the US and a country in sub-Saharan Africa. Countries in the...
16 August 2023
Biden cranks up diplomatic charm offensive in Kenya
In a span of two weeks, US President Joe Biden has dispatched two senior members of his administration to Nairobi with a firm message to President William Ruto on good governance, human rights and a subtle push on the geopolitics surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And Kenya, a longtime Western ally, is under pressure to maintain trading ties with the US. The timing of the visit was significant as Russia hosted over 17 African...
29 July 2023
US says AGOA renewal still an option for Kenya
The US says it may consider proposing to its lawmakers an extension of duty- and quota-free access to its market for sub-Saharan countries when the current deal expires in May 2025. [AGOA.info note: AGOA removes standard import tariffs, but not quotas). United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, said another renewal of the preferential trade programme depends on the US Congress, but her office could facilitate it. “We are...
22 July 2023
Some uncertainty as negotiations on the US-Kenya trade agreement proceed without a fixed timetable
A recent report has shown that the United States is unsure when discussions for a free trade agreement with Kenya would be completed, notwithstanding the fact that Nairobi previously stated that the talks would be completed by December. The United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who wrapped up a three-day visit in Nairobi on Wednesday, stated that the US negotiators do not have a timetable for ending discussions or signing the...
20 July 2023
Kenya's president meets US delegates on trade and investments
Kenyan President William Ruto has today held talks with US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai. The discussions were based on US trade policy. Ruto said that the country is ready to strengthen the already existing relations between the two nations. "We will stretch our ties beyond the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in the wake of advanced technology and climate change, for the full exploitation of our trade potential,"...
19 July 2023
US trade rep in Nairobi as Kenya's solo deals worry the EAC block [incl. Readouts]
The US trade representative is in Nairobi to co-lead a meeting that seeks Kenya's partnership in a fresh trade deal. The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA Council) is pursuing various agreements even as regional peers express concern over Kenya's solo approach. Yesterday, Trade Representative, Katherine Tai met patron circle members of the American Chamber of Commerce-Kenya (AmCham Kenya) ahead of today's...
17 July 2023
USTR releases summaries from US-Kenya STIP negotiations
Consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to the highest levels of transparency in trade agreement negotiations, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released summaries of texts ( Download the document alongside or in the Kenya-US STIP section) proposed by the U.S. side during the first negotiating round of the United States-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP),...
23 May 2023
Why Africa, why Kenya? Remarks by US Ambassador to Kenya
Thank you, Scott, for the kind introduction. It is a pleasure to partner with the Prosper Africa initiative to drive investment in Kenya and countries across the African continent. I am happy to kick off our U.S.-Kenya Business Roadshow with all of you today, and to announce that we will be partnering with Prosper Africa throughout the year to engage businesses and investors in cities across the United States. Our next stops include San...
26 April 2023
Kenya-USA: Joint Statement on the third US-Kenya bilateral strategic dialogue [incl. VIDEO]
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Kenya on the occasion of U.S.-Kenya Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2023. Begin Text: The Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Kenya held the third iteration of the U.S.-Kenya Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2023. The U.S.-Kenya Strategic...
24 April 2023
US, Kenya teams open trade talks amid smallholder farmers’ protest
The administration of Kenya’s President William Ruto has begun the negotiation round of the proposed bilateral deal with the United States, which will replace the more-than-two-decade-old African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) amid protestations from smallholder farmers. The four-day talks, which kicked off in Nairobi on Monday, follow the round of conceptual discussions held in Washington between February 6 and 10. President Ruto’s...
17 April 2023
