Kenya and the US have made great progress in the ongoing Fourth Round of the Kenya-US Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement negotiations – MSME Chapter.

The PS for MSMEs Development Susan Mang’eni acknowledged the progress after a consultative meeting with the Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) for Africa Connie Hamilton, the Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa Bennett Harman and the Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Small Business Market Access and Industrial Competitiveness Christina Sevilla in Washington DC.

Ms Mangeni said that both parties are committed to closing out the MSMEs partnerships ahead of President William Ruto’s State visit to the USA next month.

The PS is accompanied by the Team Lead, Anti-Corruption Chapter and Legal Catherine Bunyasi and the Team Lead, Women, Youth and Diaspora Affairs Rose Masita.

The MSMEs sector, the biggest employer in the country, is one of the pillars of President Ruto’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), where he is keen on lifting up the thousands of small businesses to enhance their participation in economic development.