Kenya’s President William Ruto said on Wednesday that his country expects to finalise a trade agreement with the United States by the end of the year.
- Kenya’s President William Ruto anticipates finalising a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S. by the year’s end.
- Ruto is advocating for a five-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
- This act grants sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets for over 1,800 products.
- Concerns about AGOA’s renewal stem from protectionist trade policies and previous legislative stalls.
Kenya’s President William Ruto said on Wednesday that his country expects to finalise a trade agreement with the United States by the end of the year, while also urging Washington to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for at least five more years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ruto confirmed that he would meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for the renewal of AGOA.
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The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), launched in 2000, gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. for over 1,800 products.
In 2024, 32 countries are eligible for AGOA benefits, and the program was extended through 2025 by legislation passed in 2015. The 25-year-old pact is set to expire this month.
A bipartisan push to extend AGOA last year failed to secure a vote in Congress, and President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January has cast further doubt on its future, given his protectionist trade stance. In April, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on goods from Kenya.
Ruto, however, said “good progress” has been made toward a bilateral trade agreement and expects it to be signed before the close of 2025.
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The deal, if concluded, would be the first of its kind between Washington and a sub-Saharan African nation.
Kenya is seeking expanded access for its apparel, textiles, tea, coffee, and avocados, while also pushing new opportunities in mining and fishing.
He added that Kenya already enjoys robust trade partnerships with other players, including China, which recently removed all tariffs on Kenyan agricultural exports. “We have a trade deficit in favour of China, but the one with the U.S. is fairly balanced,” he said.
