Kenya will succeed in signing a free trade agreement with the United States

For Kenya, the United States is an important trading partner. The two countries, which are in the process of consolidating commercial ties, are working to put in place a favorable framework to facilitate their trade.

Kenya is in talks with the United States to reach the signing of a free trade agreement. A US delegation of trade experts headed by Deputy US Trade Representative (USTR) for African Affairs, Constance Hamilton, traveled to Nairobi on May 1 to kick off trade talks. This is the first formal engagement between the two countries.

Kenya had expressed the wish to conclude this agreement under the Trump administration, but the steps remained at a standstill. The East African country is counting on this partnership to secure its trade and investment relations with the world’s leading power, before the expiration in 2025 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The United States is one of the most important export markets for Kenya, which generally sells textiles, tea, coffee and fish there. In return, the country imports electronic and household appliances, aircraft and aeronautical equipment, medicines, etc.

According to the United States Census Bureau (USCB), the main agency of the United States federal statistical system, Kenyan exports to the United States in 2021 reached $551 million, while the country purchased nearly $685.3 million. USD of goods from its partner. In the first quarter of this year, about 177 million USD of products were imported, against 181.1 million USD for exports.