- The UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Council meets in London for
the first time
- The Economic Partnership Agreement is the first trade
agreement Kenya has signed with a partner outside of Africa
- The agreement will help secure jobs, increase economic
growth, and support agricultural development and manufacturing in
Kenya
- UK Kenya trade is currently worth KES 167bn (£1.1bn) per
annum
On Tuesday 21 March, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Investments,
Trade and Industry, Moses Kuria, met UK Minister for
International Trade in London at the
first-ever UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Council Meeting.
Both parties agreed to accelerate work to remove barriers
affecting bilateral trade and investment, working with our
respective public and private sectors, and discussed the good
progress made on the £3.5 billion of green investment deals which
UK Prime Minister Rishi
Sunak and President William Ruto agreed to fast track at
COP27.
The Economic Partnership Council meets once every two years as
part of the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which
came into force in March 2021.
The agreement ensures that all companies operating in Kenya,
including British businesses, can continue to benefit from
duty-free access to the UK market - saving exporters over KES
1.5bn (£10m) every year in duties on products such as green beans
and cut flowers.
The agreement supports Kenya to grow its economy in a sustainable
way, whilst providing UK businesses with increased trade
opportunities. It secures jobs for Kenyans, whilst enhancing
Kenya’s global competitiveness, trade capabilities, and ability
to attract investment. The EPA has benefited approximately 2,500
UK businesses exporting goods to Kenya each year, providing
frictionless trade. British companies in Kenya employ more than
250,000 Kenyans.
The UK is the first country outside of Africa to enter into a
trade agreement with Kenya, the East African Community’s largest
economy. UK-Kenya bilateral trade is already worth KES 167bn
(£1.1bn) per annum, with capacity for significant growth.
The EPA supports the UK-Kenya Strategic partnership - an
ambitious five-year agreement delivering mutual benefits for the
UK and Kenya, including job creation and economic growth.
The agreement open to all Member States of the East African
Community, one of the fastest growing regional economic blocs in
the world.
As part of his visit to London, Cabinet Secretary Kuria will meet
with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, .
The meeting is part of a chain of UK-Kenya engagements that are
deepening economic ties between the two countries. Since COP27 in
December 2022, when President William Ruto and
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed to fast-track KES 500bn of
investment, construction has begun at Nairobi Railway City,
and Cabinet Secretary for Road, Transport and Public Works,
Kipchuma Murkomen visited London King’s Cross Station – a UK
example for Nairobi Railway City.
In addition, UK Foreign Secretary visited Kenya in 2022,
announcing support for
the African Development Fund (ADF) to help communities in
Africa grow their economies, create jobs and improve healthcare.
UK High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott, said:
By meeting, as agreed, two years after the ratification of the
EPA, the UK and Kenya are advancing our joint commitment to
securing jobs for Kenyans and growing our economies – delivering
mutual benefits for both our countries.
The UK and Kenya go far when we go together.
Notes to EditorsThe UK-Kenya Economic
Partnership Agreement
On 8 December 2020, the UK and Kenya signed an Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA). It was signed in London by
International Trade Minister and Kenya’s Cabinet
Secretary for Trade, Minister Betty Maina. The agreement was
ratified on the 22 March 2021.
This Agreement ensures that all companies operating in Kenya,
including British businesses, can continue to benefit from
duty-free access to the UK market - saving exporters over £10m
every year in duties on products such as green beans and cut
flowers.
Kenya will also gradually reduce duties on UK products they have
deemed non-sensitive, providing Kenyan businesses with cheaper
inputs which can support agricultural development and
manufacturing. It does this by gradually phasing out tariffs
across the majority of UK exports, covering sectors including
machinery and pharmaceuticals.
The EPA commits the UK to support Kenya with agreement
implementation, enhance competitiveness, build trade capabilities
and ability to attract investment, as well as further integrate
itself into global supply chains.
The agreement is designed with the aim to include all Member
States of the East African Community, one of the fastest growing
regional economic blocs in the world.
We are a valuable global partner, and we want boost our
investment. The UK is the biggest investor in Africa, according
to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2022
report.
The UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership
The UK-Kenya strategic partnership joint statement can be
found here.
