Kenya seeks temporary pact with US ahead of full trade-deal
![Kenya seeks temporary pact with US ahead of full trade-deal Kenya seeks temporary pact with US ahead of full trade-deal](https://citizentv.obs.af-south-1.myhuaweicloud.com/50027/conversions/US-trade-Chief%2C-Katherine-Tai-and-Kenya%E2%80%99s-trade-Cabinet-Secretary-Betty-Maina-og_image.webp)
Kenya
is seeking a placeholder trade partnership before establishing a fully-fledged
trade deal with the United States.
Outgoing
Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina expects engagements
on the deal to continue under the next administration as she exits the stage.
“What
we are currently in discussions over is the development of a strategic trade
and investment partnership which is a placeholder for a full Free-Trade
Agreement (FTA) in the future,” she said on Monday.
Presently,
the US represented by its Trade Representative Office (USTR) has been taking
comments from various American and Kenyan firms until September 16.
US
Trade Representative Katherine Tai is presently in the country having been
appointed among for others to represent President Joe Biden at the inauguration
ceremony for the new President William Ruto on Tuesday.
The
pair of countries are expected to resume negotiations in October.
Kenya
and the US have nevertheless agreed on areas of collaboration including
agriculture, anti-corruption, digital economy, environment, climate change,
transparency, good regulatory practices, MSMEs, workers’ rights and youth and
women participation.
The
negotiators are set to establish the benchmark for trade engagements between the
US and the Rest of Africa.
Following
changes in administration, the US reviewed previous trade negotiations
establishing a new roadmap in July this year.
The
negotiations with the US are the first for Kenya at a bilateral level with all
other previous deals being multilateral.
Other
pacts recently completed or under works include the Kenya-UK Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA), Kenya-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the
Interim Kenya-EU EPA.
Outgoing
Principal Secretary in the State Department of Trade and Kenya’s Chief
Negotiator in the trade negotiations Amb. Johnson Waweru has asked the incoming
administration and the private sector to stand firm on Kenya’s demands at the
negotiating table.
“Speak
with one voice. What you have on the table between the negotiators should be
the same script tabled to the UAE, the Americans, the British and Europeans,
that’s what I ask of you,” he told private sector actors in a meeting on
Monday.
Kenya’s
trade negotiations have been a rough balancing act between preserving the
competitiveness of locally produced goods and services and accessing new export
markets.
The new trade pact between Kenya and the US is expected to replace Kenya’s current market access to the United States through the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025.
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