Kenya and the United States begin talks over controversial provisions in a proposed bilateral trade deal amid concerns that the deal could flood the market with cheap agricultural imports from the United States. It is planned.
The postponed third round of in-person talks will focus on agriculture, good regulatory practices, and worker rights and protections, according to a statement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The three-day negotiations starting today were originally scheduled for December, but were postponed due to public explanations.
“The U.S. agricultural sector is heavily subsidized, corporatized and industrialized; [and] Creates tariff and non-tariff barriers to imports. Kenya is going to run into many of these barriers,” said David Monda, a professor of public policy at the City University of New York.
“Kenya will also struggle in negotiations over anti-dumping measures, especially in the poultry sector where US agricultural giants receive heavy subsidies, flooding Kenya with cheap poultry products and paralyzing the domestic market. there is a possibility.”
President Biden's team, led by Assistant Trade Representative for Africa Constance Hamilton, said that since their last face-to-face meeting in Washington in December, negotiators have been working on “developing mutual understanding and resolving differences. We continue to make progress.”
The talks come amid protests by civil society groups and experts at Kenyan authorities' lack of stakeholder engagement, particularly when it comes to trade in agricultural products and food products.
This is despite the US collecting public comments from US officials on the proposed agreement with Kenya in August-September 2022.
“With respect to agriculture, we recommend that Kenya assess the costs of agricultural trade liberalization for Kenya and Kenyan farmers before negotiating this chapter. There is a need for a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of agricultural trade liberalization. “The Kenya Smallholder Farmers Forum, a lobby group, said in a statement last year.
“The government has not shared the negotiating text proposed by either Kenya or the US with farmers and other stakeholders. I cannot understand why the text cannot be shared. We need to demystify the issues that are going on so that we can understand them.”
The two countries held the first round of negotiations in Nairobi from April 17 to 20 on a draft trade agreement that would serve as a benchmark for the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
Talks in Nairobi mainly focused on anti-corruption and domestic regulation of services. U.S. negotiators have proposed removing officials charged with corruption stemming from U.S.-funded projects and investments in Kenya.
The U.S. team also said that Kenyan regulators will provide U.S. professionals seeking export services with “a fair opportunity to demonstrate that they meet” licensing rules and that they will “receive a license within a reasonable period of time.” “We should decide whether to publish it or not.” ”.
“The proposed document encourages regulators to continue experimenting with new technologies.” [online application and approval] “Easing the application process, particularly with the aim of reducing unnecessary administrative burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises,” reads the summary of the US proposal to Kenya in the first round of negotiations.
Kenya has long sought a full free trade agreement with the United States to replace the 20-year-old African Growth and Opportunity Act agreement, but changes in government in both countries have slowed progress.
