Kenya-US trade talks set to begin by August
By John Otini, June 15, 2022Kenya and the United States have moved to fast track the delayed Free Trade Agreement through a round of talks to iron out contentious issues.
According to a statement by the US Embassy, the United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Kenya’s Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina met on the sidelines of the World Trade Organization’s 12th Ministerial Conference.
The meeting follows a successful consultative meeting of experts from the two countries held in Kenya in May 2022 on ways to enhance trade and investment relations between the two nations. “They discussed a number of issues where the United States and Kenya could develop an ambitious roadmap for enhanced cooperation and, where appropriate, explore negotiating high-standard commitments,” the US embassy said.
Finalising list
The issues discussed include trade facilitation and customs, standards, services digital trade, environment and climate change, and agriculture. As a next step, the two countries will work to finalise a list of areas for cooperation to deepen economic engagement, as the two ministers agreed to meet again in the coming weeks to announce the way forward.
Ambassador Tai and Cabinet Secretary Maina agreed to explore pathways towards a deeper bilateral trade and economic relationship topromote sustainable and inclusive economic growth and support to African economic integration.
A new report submitted to the US Congress by Joe Biden’s top trade diplomat Katherine Tai, the US government revealed it would pursue “other means” of deepening trade engagements with Kenya in the absence of a free trade agreement (FTA).