President William Ruto has appointed Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui as the co-chairperson of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Council between Kenya and the European Union.
The appointment was made through a Gazette Notice dated April 11.
The EPA council is the apex organ established under the EPA framework between Kenya and the EU.
It is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the accord.
The agreement secures long-term duty-free and quota-free market access for Kenyan goods to all 27 EU member states, fostering enhanced trade and investment flows.
Alongside Kinyanjui, Ruto also designated four other CSs as members of the council.
They are Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who doubles up as Foreign Affairs CS, John Mbadi (Treasury), Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture) and Aden Duale (Environment).
Article 132(5) of the Constitution obligates the President to ensure that Kenya’s international obligations are fulfilled through the actions of relevant Cabinet Secretaries.
The move underscores his commitment to fulfilling its bilateral and multilateral obligations and strengthening its international partnerships.
Ruto presided over the signing of the agreement in May 2024.
The EPA provides a platform to support job creation on both sides, along with targeted cooperation to enhance Kenya's economic development.
EU is Kenya's first export destination and second-largest trading partner, with a total of €3.3 billion in bilateral trade in 2022 - an increase of 27 per cent compared to 2018.
The EPA is expected to create even more opportunities for Kenyan businesses and exporters, as it will fully open the EU market for Kenyan products upon entry into force.
It will also incentivise EU investment in Kenya thanks to increased legal certainty and stability.
It is the most ambitious trade deal ever signed by the EU with a developing country when it comes to sustainability provisions such as climate and environmental protection, labour rights and gender equality.
