UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Kenya, Theo Clarke and Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development, Betty Maina, today exchanged ratification documents at an official ceremony to mark the entry into force of the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. The event was witnessed by UK High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott, Principal Secretary Johnson Weru among other officials from the UK and Kenya delegation.
The deal which was signed in London by International Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena and Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Betty Maina in December 2020, will ensure that all companies operating in Kenya can continue to benefit from duty-free access to the UK market. It will support jobs and economic development in Kenya, as well as avoid possible disruption to UK businesses who will be able to continue to import Kenyan products duty and quote free, such as fresh vegetables and flowers.
Having been ratified by both parties, the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement is now entering into force.
Being one of the largest economies in East Africa, Kenya is an important trading partner for the UK. The UK market accounts for 43% of total exports of vegetables from Kenya as well as at least 9% of cut flowers, and this agreement will support Kenyans working in these sectors by maintaining tariff-free market access to the UK. Top goods imports to the UK from Kenya last year were in tea, coffee and spices (KES 18 billion); vegetables (KES 11.7 billion) and cut flowers (KES 8 billion).
This deal recognises the importance of the wider region, and the agreement is open for other members of the East African Community to join.
[ KES100 = € 0.77 ]
Source: gov.uk
