Kenya is keen on protecting key economic sectors and several strategic state-owned enterprises from the Free Trade Agreement ahead of trade talks with the US slated for July.
Kenya’s Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) seeks to counter a bid by the US to allow American firms access government tenders including those dealing with sensitive and security matters.
Kenya commits to ensuring that there is no disruption of market access into the US after the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) expires on September 30, 2025 by securing a predictable trade regime.
"Kenya seeks to protect existing EAC and continental trade protocols and negotiations on Customs should be based on the existing Trade Facilitation Co-operation Agreement between the US and EAC, and WTO Customs Valuation.
In the document, Kenya is cautious considering the deal had raised concerns within the EAC, with critics describing the planned bilateral agreement as a breach of regional and continental trade protocols since Kenya had not formally written to EAC trade officials in Arusha regarding the trade deal before it was made public.
