Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - 9:00am
WASHINGTON, DC, - Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center (USAfBC), in partnership with Covington and the American Chamber of Commerce Kenya, released a new in-depth analysis “U.S.-Kenya Trade Negotiations: Implications for the Future of the U.S.-Africa Trade Relationship,” examining the challenges and benefits of a potential free trade agreement (FTA) between the U.S. and Kenya.
“A trade agreement between the two countries would be the first of its kind between the U.S. and a sub-Saharan African country and would provide a steady framework for strengthening our relationships with economies across the continent by providing the necessary legal protections and enduring, reciprocal trade,” said Scott Eisner, senior vice president and president of the U.S.-Africa Business Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The U.S. Chamber continues to applaud the U.S. and Kenyan governments for their commitment to expanding trade and investment opportunities between our two countries."
In February 2020, the U.S. Chamber launched its U.S.-Kenya Trade Task Force, which brings together business executives to exchange ideas, build mutual trust, and seek common ground on key trade priorities with U.S. and Kenyan trade officials. The study, developed in collaboration with the Chamber’s partners, provides a factual analysis of key issues the negotiations could address and serves as a valuable reference for those seeking to better understand U.S.-Kenya trade negotiations in the context of the United States’ economic relations with the African continent. The latest report identified priority issues for an FTA between the United States and Kenya:
- The introduction of more predictability in U.S.-Kenya commercial relations.
- Promoting economic opportunities for small and medium enterprises in both countries.
- Making U.S. goods and services more competitive with products from Europe.
- The economic importance of digital trade during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Kenya’s ban on most imports of GMOs, an obstacle for agricultural trade.
- The improvement of intellectual property protections and enforcement.
- An opportunity to address challenges in Kenya to international trade, including those relating to the regulatory environment, trade facilitation, intellectual property enforcement, law enforcement, and supply chain policies.
- Maintaining African Growth and Opportunity Act benefits for Kenya while the U.S. seeks to ensure adequate reciprocal market access.
The report draws from insights gathered from interviews with business executives and experts to explore stakeholder interest and perspectives regarding free trade agreement obligations on apparel and agricultural products as well as financial and digital services. To access the full report visit: https://www.uschamber.com/report/us-kenya-trade-negotiations
