President William Ruto met with members of the United States (US) congress to urged them to extend a trade deal that is meant to expire on Friday, June 28, 2024.
Led by Congressman Vern Buchanan, the delegation from the United States met the president at State House Nairobi, on Friday.
In a statement, the head of state indicated that Kenya has been benefiting from the deal known as the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), for the past 25 years.
Further, he explained that Kenya was among other African nations who were enjoying trade incentives including access to a huge market for finished products.
“Africa is seeking increased trade and market access to the United States. The African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was introduced 25 years ago and is set to expire next February, has provided a huge market for African finished products.
“Kenya has therefore been urging the US Congress to extend AGOA because it is mutually beneficial to our two countries,” stated Ruto.
Also Read: Ruto Uses US Trip to Scout for KQ Buyer
Way Foward For Kenya and US After Ruto Meeting
Consequently, the president said that Kenya and the United States were negotiating an investment partnership to further bolster the business relationship.
Kenya and the US are negotiating a Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership, which will take the relationship between the two countries to the next level.
AGOA is a legislation that was approved by the US Congress in May 2000. The purpose of the legislation was to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the United States and the region.
Every year, the President evaluates the sub-Saharan African countries and determines which countries should remain eligible.
In January 2022, the United States removed Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the AGOA program over alleged human rights violations and recent coups.
Also Read: Romantic Moments Between Ruto and Mama Rachel During Their US Visit [PHOTOS]
Recent Kenya -US Deals
On his state visit to the United States in May, President Joe Biden’s administration committed to offer scholarships to Kenyan students as part of a new initiative aimed at strengthening educational ties between the United States and Kenya.
During the visit, several key initiatives were unveiled to enhance educational collaboration between US and Kenyan institutions.
At the center of these initiatives is the Kennedy-Mboya Partnerships, a $3.3 million (Ksh 436,425,000) program that will provide scholarships to sixty Kenyan undergraduate students to study in the United States for a semester, with a specific focus on STEM fields.
Also, the Biden administration announced Partnership 2024, a $500,000 initiative to support the growth and development of Kenyan students, scientists, researchers, and engineers.
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