Thousands of workers in limbo as US-Africa trade deal set to expire
SEPT 30 - At Shona EPZ, a garment factory in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, the tension is inescapable. The industrious thrum of the heavy-duty sewing Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..
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Thousands of Kenyan garment workers face job insecurity as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a crucial US-Africa trade deal providing duty-free access, is set to expire this Tuesday. Factories like Shona EPZ, which employs 700 people, are already experiencing reduced output and fear potential closures if an extension is not granted.
- In 2024, Kenya exported $470 million worth of clothing to the US under Agoa, supporting over 66,000 direct jobs.
- Factory director Isaac Maluki warns of job losses and the potential loss of a $10 million investment at Shona EPZ if Agoa is not extended.
- Kenya, through Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui and President William Ruto, is lobbying for an extension, with President Ruto aiming for a new bilateral trade deal by year-end and a five-year Agoa extension.
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US Supports 1-Year Agoa Renewal as Trade Deal's Expiry Threatens Kenyan Jobs - September 2025
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a crucial US-Africa trade deal providing duty-free access, is set to expire this Tuesday, putting thousands of Kenyan garment workers' jobs at risk. Factories such as Shona EPZ, which employs 700 people, are already seeing reduced output and fear potential closures if an extension is not granted. The expiry of the deal would cause Kenya-US trade tariffs to triple, hitting jobs and investors. Amid these concerns, the Trump administration has stated that it supports a one-year renewal of the Agoa deal. Thousands of workers remain in limbo as the deadline approaches.
