A second round of in-person talks for the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership between the United States and Kenya will take place in Washington from October 4-7.
Constance Hamilton, an assistant U.S. trade representative, will lead the American delegation. Members of other government agencies also plan to attend.
The STIP negotiators last met face-to-face in Nairobi, Kenya in April. Since then, they have worked to improve mutual understanding and resolve disputes. From July 17-19, Ambassador Katherine Tai also visited Nairobi, where she had productive talks with President William Ruto and other top Kenyan officials on the positive feedback USTR has so far received on the STIP from stakeholders and the ongoing negotiations’ ability to continue moving forward.
On July 14, 2022, the U.S. and Kenya announced the creation of the partnership and pledged to pursue expanded engagement leading to high-standard commitments in various areas. The partnership aims to increase investment, strengthen regional economic integration in Africa and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth benefitting consumers, workers and businesses, including small and medium-sized firms.
This round of talks will cover four STIP topics: Agriculture, Anti-corruption, Inclusivity and Domestic regulation.
Regarding agriculture, the U.S. and Kenya will discuss steps to promote agricultural trade by improving transparency and understanding of science- and risk-based Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary measures.
On anti-corruption, both countries are committed to prohibiting and combating corruption. They will discuss negotiating specific commitments and exchanging best practices.
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In terms of inclusivity, the U.S. and Kenya are dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for women and youth. They will continue considering how to craft trade policies encouraging the participation of women and youth in global trade as well as the promotion of well-paying, high-quality jobs and sustainable livelihoods.
On domestic regulation, the two sides will explore negotiating provisions on services domestic regulation.
“These are some of the issues where the United States and Kenya will develop an ambitious roadmap for enhanced cooperation with the goal of negotiating high-standard commitments in order to achieve economically meaningful outcomes,” a joint statement said. “These meetings will be closed press,” it added.
The STIP represents a significant opportunity for economic growth and development in Kenya at this juncture. By engaging in discussions covering important areas such as agriculture, anti-corruption, inclusivity and domestic services regulation, Kenya stands to benefit from increased trade opportunities, foreign investment and knowledge exchange. Addressing these topics can strengthen Kenya’s agricultural sector, promote transparency and good governance through anti-corruption efforts, foster inclusivity in economic activities and ensure a conducive regulatory climate for domestic services. These talks give Kenya a chance to bolster economic ties with one of the world’s largest economies, paving the way for potential advancements across sectors and ultimately contributing to the country’s socio-economic progress and stability.
