From now on, it will be possible from Kenya to export products to 27 European Union countries duty-free, to sell them on the tempting market of the old continent. These countries, of course, include Italy.
The agreement is part of the broader partnership signed on Monday by President William Ruto and the chairwoman of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen. Through this agreement, Kenyan exporters have secured permanent duty-free access to the EU market.

On the rich platter of a turnover that, according to experts, reaches 14 trillion shillings, mainly the top products that enable Kenya's export economy to be more competitive: flowers, vegetables, avocados, coffee and fruits. But also a range of other products for which partnerships with Italian companies can also be established, as well as synergies found for investments that can ensure continuous production with all the trappings to become certainties in the European market.

In fact, the agreement includes and encourages Kenya's willingness to diversify its export mix to Europe with high value-added manufacturing products such as industrial shoes, leather goods and other finished products.
It can be the job-creating and professionalism-creating leap that President Ruto hopes for: for example, from being simple farmers on farms controlled by foreigners, as well as picking flowers, one can directly compose fully packaged and branded bouquets.

But there is another aspect that may be of great interest to Italians and Europeans in Kenya: what the Kenyan Trade Minister, Rebecca Miano, said on the sidelines of the agreement, "over time, European goods will also get preferential access to the Kenyan market," Miano said.
Many companies in the tourism, food and beverage, and excellent products sectors hope to enjoy the reciprocity of this agreement, in the short term, as never before have customs duties for goods imported from abroad into Kenya been unbearable and forcing pricing policies that make them less and less accessible to the market, while having no competition for quality and distribution.

This requires an agreement that rewards both trade poles, not least because Von der Leyen said the agreement will help Kenya access good equipment and machinery from Europe, which will help achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture.
Other points in the partnership include trade agreements on fisheries, agriculture, development cooperation, as well as environmental protection and sustainable trade.