KENYA, US IN HIGH-LEVEL TRADE TALKS AHEAD OF RUTO’S VISIT

Kenya has launched high-level trade negotiations with the United States as President William Ruto prepares for an official visit to Washington next month.
A delegation led by Investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui and Principal Secretary Regina Ombam is in Washington for a three-day working mission focused on strengthening bilateral ties and safeguarding Kenyan export interests ahead of the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in September 2025.
In a statement, CS Kinyanjui said the engagements were aimed at “strengthening Kenya–U.S. investment relations and securing new opportunities for our exporters,” adding that discussions would also cover tariffs currently affecting Kenyan goods.
The team is holding meetings with senior U.S. trade officials as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with the Kenya Times reporting growing American investor confidence in Kenya as a strategic entry point into Africa.
According to data from the U.S. Trade Representative, total trade in goods and services between the two countries reached $3.3 billion (Ksh 426.5 billion) in 2024, an increase of nearly half a billion dollars compared to the previous year. Kenya exported goods worth $737 million (Ksh 95.3 billion), while imports from the U.S. stood at $771 million (Ksh 99.7 billion), leaving Washington with a small trade surplus.
The talks are expected to set the stage for President Ruto’s trip to the United States during the UN General Assembly in September, where trade and investment cooperation will be top on the agenda.