For more information on how these developments may affect your business, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Kenya
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative reports that during the most recent negotiating round on the U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership, held June 3-7 in Mombasa, officials primarily exchanged views on texts regarding agriculture; customs, trade facilitation, and enforcement; good regulatory practices; and workers’ rights and protections. The two sides are working to conclude an agreement by the end of this year.
Argentina
According to USTR, discussions at the fourth meeting of the Trade and Investment Council under the U.S.–Argentina Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, held June 5 in Buenos Aires, covered the following topics.
- diversifying regional supply chains, including in key sectors such as critical minerals (particularly lithium and copper)
- Argentina’s interest in joining the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity
- simplifying border processes and reviewing customs fees and procedures, with the aim of reducing the time and cost of compliance for traders and operators
- issues in the digital economy, including artificial intelligence, cyber security, and privacy
- creating a working group on supply chain resilience with the objective of analyzing capacities and opportunities to increase trade and investment in sectors of interest to both countries
- Argentina’s efforts to comply with U.S. requirements for imports of sweet citrus
- ensuring that the grant of geographical indication protection does not deprive interested parties of the ability to use common names
- the importance of transparency, good governance, high labor standards, and environmental sustainability to support trade, investment, and workers in both countries
Central Asia
USTR Katherine Tai was in Tashkent recently for meetings with Uzbekistan officials that covered the following topics.
- efforts to revitalize and renew the Generalized System of Preferences and GSP’s role in supporting export diversification in Uzbekistan
- permanent normal trade relations status for imports from Uzbekistan
- Uzbekistan’s intent to continue improving workers’ right to freedom of association to ensure the long-term sustainability of progress made to eliminate forced labor
- Uzbekistan’s efforts to join the World Trade Organization and ongoing domestic reforms to align its trading regime with WTO rules and principles, including the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
- a change effective June 1 that allows U.S. federally-authorized meat and poultry establishments to export their products to Uzbekistan
- the importance of transparency for promoting the development of better regulations, preventing and reducing non-tariff barriers, supporting compliance with international trade obligations, fostering long-term economic resilience, and attracting sustainable investment
- U.S. support for strengthening Central Asia’s trade and transport links
Click here for more information on U.S. efforts to expand trade with Central Asian countries.
Armenia
A press article reports that the U.S. and Armenia signed June 11 a customs mutual assistance agreement providing for the exchange of information between customs agencies. The two sides also discussed issues including economic diversification, Euro-Atlantic cooperation, and defense reforms.
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