From the Office of the United States Trade Representative, it has been disclosed that the United States and Kenya are set to conduct their third in-person round of negotiations under the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP).
The negotiations are scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from January 29 to 31, 2024. Leading the United States delegation will be Assistant United States Trade Representative Constance Hamilton, along with representatives from various government agencies.
The previous in-person round of negotiations occurred in October 2023 in Washington, D.C., and since then, both parties have continued to make strides in fostering mutual understanding and resolving differences.
The positive momentum has been reinforced by discussions between U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Tai and senior Kenyan officials during her visit to Nairobi in July 2023.
The upcoming round of discussions will focus primarily on three key topics within the U.S.-Kenya STIP: agriculture, good regulatory practices, and workers’ rights and protections.
The closed-press meetings aim to further the goals of the U.S.-Kenya STIP, launched on July 14, 2022. The partnership seeks to enhance engagement between the two nations, leading to high-standard commitments in various areas.
The overarching objectives include boosting investment, promoting sustainable economic growth, benefiting workers, consumers, and businesses (including micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises), and supporting African regional economic integration.
The joint statement issued at the launch identified specific areas of initial focus for negotiation. These include agriculture, anti-corruption, digital trade, environment and climate action, good regulatory practices, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, protecting workers’ rights and protections, supporting the participation of women, youth, and others in trade, standards collaboration, trade facilitation and customs procedures, and services domestic regulation.
As the U.S. and Kenya continue their negotiations, the discussions under the STIP reflect a commitment to fostering economic cooperation and collaboration between the two nations.
