By VINCENT OWINO

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Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Raychelle Omamo and European Commission’s Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on Friday signed an interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) that will guide their trade relations to ensure sustainable development.

This development paves way for further negotiations on establishing a lasting trade and investment relationship, consistent with the United Nation’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

“To that end, the EU and Kenya agree to negotiate, as an integral part of their Economic Partnership Agreement, binding provisions on trade and sustainable development, which will be subject to an appropriate dispute settlement mechanism,” the two leaders said in a joint statement.

With this signing, the leaders instructed the joint taskforce formed in June 2021, to hasten the documentation of the EU-Kenya EPA, paving way for its signing and ratification.

The EPA will be open to other East African Community member states and will provide for less restricted trade relations between the countries and EU member states, and trade-related cooperation, aimed at boosting sustainable growth and job creation.

The two leaders acknowledged Kenya’s commitment towards ensuring democratic governance, peace, security, and human development, vowing that the EPA will support Kenya towards these goals.