Browsing: Antony J. Blinken

Blinken Urges Rwanda and Congo to End Support for Warring Militias www.theexchange.africa

Blinken in Africa: Rwanda, Congo should end support for militias

Countries

Blinken stated that Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi had decided to handle the conflict in eastern Congo directly.

Officials from the United States and Rwanda estimate that more than 130 armed groups are operating in eastern Congo, which has turned into a battlefield for militias that have killed and maimed people while making billions of dollars from the smuggling of minerals out of the region rich in natural resources.

The Congolese government and other African governments provide many of the organisations with weapons and funding.…

US President Joe Biden meets with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington DC, October 14, 2021. www.theexchange.africa

New Dawn: Revival of the Kenya-US Free Trade talks

Industry and Trade

Trade between Kenya and the US is governed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), given that both countries are members of the Organization.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), is perhaps the highlight of the strong trade relations between Kenya and the US; enacted in May 2000 and has since been renewed to 2025. Under the Act, Kenya qualifies for duty-free access to the U.S market, exporting products such as textiles, apparel, and handicrafts among many others.  

The US views Kenya as a key strategic trade partner in the region, which is the second-largest beneficiary of the AGOA tariff benefits. In 2019, trade between the United States and Kenya was estimated at US$1.1 billion, recording a 4.9% increase from 2018. Top US imports from Kenya were apparel, estimated at US$454 million, edible fruit and nuts at US$55 million, titanium ores and concentrates at US$52million and coffee at US$34 million.…

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US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken flanked by President Joe Biden. Blinken is visiting Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal to discuss furthering cooperation. www.theexchange.africa

Kenya change of guard among US Secretary Blinken’s agenda

Africa's Development

For the five years since 2002, Kenya registered its golden period in terms of economic growth. This was during President Mwai Kibaki’s first five-year term which ended in 2007. The Kenyan economy blossomed with the growth noticeable in both industry and tourism as well as in improved livelihoods.
At this time, the growth attracted the attention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank because Kibaki’s government was not keen on funding from the Bretton Woods institutions. The government largely financed its budget from the revenues it collected which was unheard of in the previous regime. President Daniel Moi, Kibaki’s predecessor had deeply entrenched corruption in the country which wrecked the economy to almost collapse.
But today, the economy is worse than it was under Moi with the Jubilee government overseeing the worst job cuts, company closures and distressed livelihoods due to corruption. While the Covid-19 pandemic has …