This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
On July 13, 2020, Kenya announced plans to initiate trade talks with the United Kingdom, a move that comes after Britain's exit from the European Union.
The UK's departure from the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit, has led to a loss of market access for Kenya, which previously benefited from duty-free and quota-free market access to all EU member states.
Kenya's exports to the UK were valued at Sh40.08 billion in the 12 months leading up to December 2019, accounting for 30% of the country's total exports to the EU during the same period.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the volume of trade between Kenya and the EU in the first three months of 2020, excluding the UK, was valued at Sh94.35 billion, a decrease from the Sh106.13 billion recorded in a similar period in 2019.
Trade Secretary Betty Maina announced the plans to launch a bilateral agreement with the UK during the launch of the Sunquick Fruit Drink Concentrate production line at BidCoro Africa last week.
“Kenya will also be launching a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom following their exit from the EU in the coming days,” Maina said.
