Kenya-US trade ties: William Ruto meets Marco Rubio, advances new agreement talks

New York, USA – President William Ruto is advancing talks on a new Kenya-US trade agreement.

Ruto met the US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, at the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 80th meeting in New York.

What Ruto discussed with Marco Rubio

The head of state’s talk with Rubio covered a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global matters, key being the conclusion of a trade agreement.

“At the bilateral level, we agreed to strengthen relations by expanding trade, concluding a trade agreement by the end of the year, boosting US investment in Kenya, and deepening security cooperation, particularly in counter-terrorism,” said Ruto.

Early in the year, Ruto reached out to the US administration over the Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement (STIP), which was launched in 2022 and was yet to be concluded.

However, in August 2025, Ruto’s administration shifted the talks, mulling the introduction of a new trade agreement under the President Donald Trump administration and new export tariffs.

The president engaged Marco Rubio in a telephone conversation, where they underscored the importance of strengthening Kenya–U.S. relations and agreed to deepen cooperation for the long-term benefit amid new tariffs and end of AGOA.

What to know about AGOA

The discussion also featured the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire in November 2025.

“We also held a productive and positive discussion on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and its critical role in supporting Kenya’s economic growth,” he added.

Under AGOA, Kenya and other African countries enjoyed duty-free access to the US market, where traders substantially exported textiles and apparel to the country.

The meeting also touched on regional issues, where Secretary Rubio commended Kenya’s leadership and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to closer cooperation in advancing peace and security across the region.

President Ruto said Kenya values the US partnership in promoting peace and security in the Horn of Africa and commended the country’s support for the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.