The Kenyan government, in collaboration with the European Union, has announced plans to conduct roadshows and workshops across the country to educate Kenyans on the opportunities created by the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The initiative aims to inform local exporters, producers, and key stakeholders about the job prospects and benefits arising from the new trade deal.
Speaking at a sensitisation workshop held at Strathmore University, Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary, Salim Mvurya, emphasized the need for stakeholders to understand the agreement.
“We will be moving to different parts of the country to bring to speed the different players in this agreement,” Mvurya said.
The EPA provides Kenyan exporters with long-term stability, ensuring immediate duty-free and quota-free access to the European market.
Mvurya highlighted that this will give local businesses confidence in the European market, allowing them to plan and expand with certainty.
“Kenyan exporters will now be able to plan for the long term, with the knowledge that the terms for accessing the European market are predictable,” he stated.
EU Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, noted that the sensitisation campaign would focus on agricultural producers, importers, exporters, and civil society, ensuring that everyone involved benefits from the agreement.
“The EU delegation in Kenya will work with the government to bring to life this agreement,” she added.
The workshop saw participation from key trade stakeholders, including EU Chief Negotiator Dora Correia and representatives from Kenya’s manufacturing and export sectors.
Correia pointed out that the agreement creates predictability in trade, encouraging more foreign direct investments into Kenya.
“Foreign Direct Investments are 27 per cent higher for countries with such agreements,” she explained.
Geiger called the agreement a historic moment in Kenya-EU trade relations, urging all parties to capitalize on the new opportunities.
Mvurya echoed this sentiment, urging the EU to also negotiate a Trade-in Services protocol to expand opportunities for Kenyan professionals in sectors such as engineering, medicine, and the performing arts.
