Trade policy

US lobbying: Kenya fights to preserve Trump’s trade deal

This article is part of the dossier: Africa’s Top 10 lobbying operations in Washington, D.C

By Julian Pecquet
Posted on Monday, 14 February 2022 10:47, updated on Wednesday, 23 February 2022 16:02

Kenya's President Kenyatta speaks as he meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House in Washington — Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta speaks as he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

For all his protectionist tendencies and disparaging remarks about Africa, former President Donald Trump managed to raise hopes through his launch of trade talks with Kenya.

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.

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