The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for a further three years, marking a critical milestone in U.S.-Africa trade relations.
In Kenya, the textile and apparel industries operating within the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) employ over 80,000 people directly and an additional 250,000 indirectly.
The uncertainty that had previously engulfed the sector will now give way to renewed confidence and expansion.
In a statement read on Wednesday by the Investments, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, the Ministry aims to grow exports of additional products under the AGOA framework beyond textiles, ensuring that Kenya fully leverages this opportunity to create jobs and generate wealth.
“We are in discussions on a bilateral trade agreement that will cover other key sectors and further cement Kenya’s long-standing partnership with the United States,” he said in the statement.
During the recent visit by President William Ruto to Washington, D.C., Kenya’s request for enhanced market access to the U.S. was discussed, the CS noted.
Kenya’s major exports to the U.S. include textiles and apparel, coffee, tea, horticultural products, and tourism services. Expanding our export basket remains a key priority and aligns with our broader strategic economic agenda.
AGOA is a piece of legislation that was approved by the U.S. Congress in May 2000. The stated purpose of the legislation is to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the United States and the region.
By Wangari Ndirangu
