Kenya Secures Zero — Duty Access to China. Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya has reached a preliminary agreement with China that will grant zero-duty access for nearly all of its exports, according to Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui.
The move comes as the East African nation seeks to counterbalance the effects of higher tariffs imposed by the United States.
The agreement, which will enable 98. 2 percent of Kenyan goods to enter China tariff-free, aims to diversify Kenya’s markets and address “trade imbalances, “Kinyanjui stated.
Key agricultural exports from Kenya will be notably free from import taxes under the deal.
The deal is contingent upon ratification by Kenya’s parliament, officials told AFP.
The pact is part of a broader trend among African countries to seek alternative trading partners, given the increased tariffs imposed by the Trump administration last year.
Kenya was subjected to a 10 percent tariff increase, alongside the expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which had provided duty-free access to the US market. US lawmakers recently extended AGOA for three years, but its approval by the Senate and presidential signature are still pending.
Last year, US Senator James Risch urged an investigation into Kenya’s trade relations with China, which has made significant infrastructure investments in the country.
Despite reports suggesting US pressure delayed the deal with China, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei dismissed such claims as unfounded. Sing’oei emphasized that the arrangement with China does not conflict with efforts to reauthorize AGOA.
Republican Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith has called for the swift completion of the AGOA deal, warning about Beijing’s significant investments that could potentially “monopolize “the market.
The situation remains fluid as Kenya navigates its trade relations with key international partners. Further details are expected as the agreement moves forward.
