Kenyan President William Ruto aims to finalise a landmark trade deal with the US by the end of 2025, seeking a five-year AGOA extension to boost exports like tea, coffee, and textiles, while exploring new export sectors.
Kenyan President William Ruto said, on 24 September 2025, that he aims to finalise a trade deal with the US by the end of 2025 and is pushing for a five-year extension of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants duty-free access for African exports to the US.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Ruto highlighted growing US support for AGOA, despite past efforts to extend it failing in Congress and uncertainty under former President Donald Trump’s tariff-driven policies.
In April, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Kenyan goods, complicating trade relations.
Ruto plans to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss AGOA and trade opportunities.
Kenya seeks greater US market access for tea, coffee, avocados, apparel, and textiles, while exploring new sectors like mining and fishing. If successful, the deal would be the first of its kind between the US and Kenya.
