US-Kenya
US, Kenya begin trade and investment partnership talks
TheHill: The Biden administration will start talks with Kenya on a strategic partnership aimed at stoking growth and investment in Kenya’s economy while also addressing climate change, corruption and regulatory practices, among other issues.
The United States-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership is “an ambitious roadmap” for “economically meaningful outcomes,” according to a Thursday release from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.
The partnership was announced virtually by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina on Thursday.
The two countries will also focus their talks on advancing and enhancing digital trade, customs procedures and workers’ rights.
The partnership will consider ways to encourage the participation of women and youth in trade and to integrate Kenyan enterprises into the international trade arena.
The Trump administration announced its intent to negotiate a trade deal with Kenya in 2020, but the effort has been stalled over the past two years.
Tai wrote in a statement following the announcement that she looks forward to starting discussions with Kenya within the next three months.
“We also hope that this initiative can serve as a model for trade policy engagement in Africa, one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions in the world,” Tai wrote.
United States and Kenya Announce the Launch of the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership
USTR: During a virtual meeting today, United States Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, and Kenya's Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development Cabinet Secretary, Betty Maina, launched the United States-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP). Building on their June 13, 2022 meeting in Geneva, Ambassador Tai and Cabinet Secretary Maina agreed that their governments will pursue enhanced engagement leading to high standard commitments in a wide range of areas with a view to increasing investment; promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth; benefiting workers, consumers, and businesses (including micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises); and supporting African regional economic integration.
Digital Trade. The United States and Kenya share an interest in fostering consumer, business, and worker trust in the digital economy, ensuring access to information, promoting the development and use of resilient and secure digital infrastructure, promoting competition and the participation of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and addressing discriminatory practices. The two countries will discuss measures to support digital inclusion, including accessibility, and online consumer protection. The two countries will also monitor global discussions on emerging issues in digital trade which are of mutual interest.
INDO-PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2022
SENIOR OFFICIALS FOR THE INDO-PACIFIC ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK MEET IN SINGAPORE
CONTACT: media@ustr.eop.gov
SINGAPORE – The United States and the 13 other Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) partner countries met on July 13-14 in Singapore for the first meeting of IPEF Senior Officials and experts for each of the four IPEF pillars. The meeting included participation from all 13 IPEF partners: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. With over 100 delegates and 65 virtual delegates, the countries had positive and productive discussions on the envisioned substance within the Framework and will continue to engage intensively in the coming months.
President Biden first launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Tokyo in May. Secretary Gina Raimondo and Ambassador Katherine Tai also held a virtual ministerial with their counterparts in Tokyo before Ambassador Tai hosted an informal meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) partner countries.
Asia
United States-Thailand Communiqué on Strategic Alliance and Partnership
US.gov: The following statement was signed by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken of the United States and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai of the Kingdom of Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand on July 10, 2022.
The United States and Thailand seek to build back from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic via increased commercial and economic cooperation to advance inclusive, sustainable, and balanced growth, including through the concepts outlined in the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. By strengthening our mutual supply chains, promoting a business-conducive ecosystem, and exploring capacity-building via innovative technology transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms, we will increase competitiveness and opportunities for jobs and sustainable growth in both countries. We also seek to advance our cooperation on sustainable and smart agriculture, increasing capacities of farmers, as well as strengthening global food security. We plan to work together to enhance supply chain resilience, particularly for critical goods, and coordinate to avoid disruptions of trade in critically important products. The United States and Thailand also plan to collaborate on digital economy to support digital transformation and promote innovation for economic recovery and advancement, including in developing secure and stable digital infrastructure, enhancing the digital skills of our workforces, and the digitization of our enterprises and start-ups, developing smart cities and policies promoting digital trade. The recognition and protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and cooperation on IPR enforcement are vital elements for enhanced trade. Beyond our borders, our two nations intend to continue to explore opportunities to promote high-quality, sustainable and resilient transport, energy and digital infrastructure and connectivity in the Mekong sub-region and the broader Indo-Pacific, through mechanisms including joint financing, private sector collaboration, and cooperation with third countries.