UK, Kenya agree on post-Brexit trade agreement during virtual meeting

UK, Kenya agree on post-Brexit trade agreement during virtual meeting

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The UK and Kenya have reached a decisive consensus on a new trade agreement, nearly 55 days before the expiration of existing privileges as London formally exits the European Union protocols.

The new deal, which includes clauses from the old Economic Partnership Agreements under the European Union, will now be made formal upon signing of the agreed texts by the two sides.

“The agreement will provide continuity for businesses, investors and supply chains besides setting foundations for further economic development,” Kenya’s Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Betty Maina said.

The deal ensures that tariff-free trade can continue between the two countries. Kenya is a major supplier of fruits like avocados, mangoes and passionfruit, as well as vegetables including snow peas, sugar snaps and herbs.

In the virtual meeting between senior government officials of the two countries, the two government agreed to work on modalities before the end of this year to protect products from the two countries from the eight percent duty which will be charged once the UK fully leaves the European Union in January.

Kenya’s Trade CS Betty Maina and Interior’s Fred Matiang’i led talks with UK Minister for Africa James Duddridge, International Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Kenya Theo Clarke.

The officials signed the draft documents, which indicates that negotiations on the agreement have been completed and will await the formal signing ceremony.

The sixth bilateral trade deal will allow British and Kenyan companies to expand on trade already worth £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) a year. The deal will be beneficial to the export of Kenyan products such as vegetables and flowers, while the UK will have free access to import vehicles, pharmaceuticals and paper worth almost £800 million ($1 billion).

The UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, and formally left the bloc in January this year. It has a transition period up to Dec. 31, 2020, during which time it has been signing new agreements to replace deals it had signed with countries under the EU bloc.

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