Kenya sign ‘historic’ trade deal European Union

Kenya and the European Union on Monday signed a long-negotiated trade agreement to increase the flow of goods between the two markets, as Brussels pursues stronger economic ties with Africa.

The Economic Partnership Agreement will give Kenya duty-free and quota-free access to the EU, its biggest export market, while European goods will receive progressive tariff reductions.

The agreement is the first broad trade deal between the EU and an African nation since 2016 and follows a spending spree by China on lavish infrastructure projects across the continent.

EU chief von der Leyen said the partnership was a “win-win situation on both sides” and called on other East African nations to join the pact, which came after years of negotiations that concluded in June.

“We are deepening trade ties and building up our economic resilience,” she said.

“We are opening a new chapter in our very strong relationship and now our effort should be focused on implementation,” von der Leyen added.