The US leader announced his intent to negotiate a free trade agreement (FTA) in February 2020 following his White House meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Six months later, America’s trade representative Robert Lighthizer and Kenya’s cabinet secretary for trade Betty Maina formally launched negotiations. The US was looking to move beyond its two-decade-old African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) duty-free scheme.
“We appreciate what has been achieved through AGOA, but it is time we moved to much closer trade arrangements that are mutually beneficial,” Kenyatta told outgoing US Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter last January as the diplomat wrapped up his stint in the country. “We will not lose focus on concluding the FTA.”
Trade talks have however stalled under President Joe Biden as the new administration is more focused on domestic priorities. Kenyatta is the first African leader
There's more to this story
Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.
cancel anytime
Already a a subscriber Sign In
Also in this in Depth:
sexual violence
Sudan: ‘Not a single woman in Khartoum feels safe, not even in her own home’ With Sudan’s war nearly two months old, many women are increasingly facing sexual violence.state meddling
Zambia: Mining head Dolika Banda steps down amidst reports of political interference When Dolika Banda, an international finance and banking expert, was appointed to chair Zambia’s investment arm in privatised mines in December 2021, it was seen as one of the smartest decisions that reflected the new regime’s ambition to promote transparency, in a company where shady deals were commonplace.RECONQUEST
Chad: Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno is in pre-campaign mode On 5 June, the president of Chad’s transitional government began a tour of the southern regions. With the presidential election in his sights, he’s hoping to ease the tensions arising from the October 2022 protests and the recent attacks by armed groups.The great rift
UN: New Security Council members Algeria, Sierra Leone split on Russian war On 6 June, the UN invited two African countries with widely diverging voting records on the war in Ukraine to join its most powerful organ, exacerbating divisions that have hamstrung the world body since Russia’s invasion last February.