President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday witnessed the virtual launch of the Kenya-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations at State House, Nairobi.
Kenya was represented at the launch by Trade CS Betty Maina, Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i and State House Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy Ms Ruth Kagia while the US delegation was led by the country's Trade Representative Amb. Robert Lighthizer.
Kenya would be the first country in Sub-Saharan to enter into a Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
"We are pleased to note that this milestone comes soon after the recent victory in which Kenya was elected to serve as a Non-permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council," Matiang'i said in a statement released on Wednesday.
This agreement offers a unique opportunity to spur economic growth in Kenya. It will help grow our most productive industries
"We expect major transformation of SMEs, Finance, ICT and Agricultural Sectors," the statement further read.
This will in turn, increase incomes for producers, improve the quantity and quality of jobs and raise living standards for Kenyans.
Countries such as Morocco, that have signed a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, have within a short time recorded a huge boost in trade and investment and achieved an accelerated pace of economic growth.
Matiang'i added, "I know there are some who are concerned that this Agreement will weaken our regional agreements such as we have with the East African Community or the African Continental Free Trade Area."
In February, US President Donald Trump announced the United States intends to initiate trade agreement negotiations with Kenya.
The announcement was made by the office of the United States Trade Representative following a meeting at the White House with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.
"Kenya is a recognized leader across the continent, an important strategic partner of the United States, and there is enormous potential for us to deepen our economic and commercial ties," said United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we look forward to negotiating and concluding a comprehensive, high-standard agreement with Kenya that can serve as a model for additional agreements across Africa."
He added that the US believes that the agreement with Kenya will complement Africa’s regional integration efforts, including in the East African Community and the landmark African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
