NAIROBI – United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today co-led a meeting of the U.S.-East African Community (EAC) Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council. This meeting marks the fifteen-year anniversary of the U.S.-EAC TIFA. The meeting was co-led by Dr. Peter Mutuku Mathuki, Secretary General of the EAC. The EAC is composed of seven Partner States: The Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
During the meeting, Ambassador Tai and EAC Partner States highlighted the success of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington, D.C. this past December and the increased engagement by leaders of the Biden-Harris Administration with the EAC and the continent.
Ambassador Tai and Partner States also discussed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA). Ambassador Tai stressed that the United States Congress will ultimately make final decisions on AGOA, thanked EAC Partner States for the insightful conversation, and welcomed further communication on these issues.
Ambassador Tai reinforced the partnership between the U.S. and the EAC. Both sides look forward to the work ahead including the 2023 AGOA forum.
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