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Interior CS Fred Matiang'i speaks during the launch of FTA negotiations

Kenya, US commence negotiations on bilateral free trade agreement

Kenya and the US have formally commenced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations months after President Uhuru Kenyatta and US President Donald Trump expressed their intent to enter into the said agreement.

The US has consistently been ranked as Kenya’s top export market, and Kenya has on numerous occasions indicated the importance of securing duty-free access to the United States before the AGOA program expires in 2025. The negotiations are expected to culminate into a free trade agreement which will be the first between the USA and a sub-saharan Africa country. It is projected that negotiations will be complete within 12 months.

President Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the virtual launch of the negotiations from State House as Kenya’s representatives led by Trade CS Betty Maina, Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i and State House Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy Ms Ruth Kagia engaged with the US Delegation led by Trade Representative Amb. Robert Lighthizer.