Kenya is seeking increase the collaboration in the counterterrorism financing and money laundering in the ongoing Free Trade Agreement talks with the United States.
The ministry of foreign affairs said yesterday the agreement that was launched in July 2020 between the two countries seek ways to transform their trade and investment partnerships in ways that can accelerate economic growth and have a deep impact on peace and development in Kenya and the region.
“The upcoming Free Trade Agreement with United States holds great promise for a much more invigorated trading regime between the partner countries,” a statement from the ministry said.
“Kenya will also expand its counterterrorism financing and money laundering campaign driven by multinational investigations and prosecutions which have this far proven significantly effective.”
The statement added nothing sends a powerful signal for growing and better trade relations than a partnership built around a stable and progressive political environment devoid of any threats, particularly those of terrorist elements such as Al-Shabaab terror group.
Further, Kenya will seek to sharpen its Amisom counter terrorism force in its support to Somalia in Kenya’s mission critical contribution to dismantle Al-Shabaab and other terror groups in Somalia.
“In order to achieve this, Kenya will have to continue to be emphatic in its position not to negotiate with or embrace Al-Shabaab leaders who, tragically, remain determined to launch horrific attacks in Somalia, the United States and other countries, as well as in Kenya.”
Kenya, the ministry added, hopes that any action undertaken by its partners in this effort to fight terrorism will not put at risk the security arrangements in place to fight terrorism and to advance the common cause of the international community.
Terrorism has been a major threat in the country as it has affected economic growth at large.
“A sustainable, prosperous and stable Horn of Africa open to major trade and investment can only be realized when these Al-Qaeda affiliates no longer pose a military threat and after the ideological and social apparatus they command has been dismantled.”
The partnership between the two countries would ensure that, together, they take actions to cripple the leadership of these terrorist organizations and sanction and prosecute their finances and source of funding.
Kenya hopes that any action undertaken by its partners in this effort to fight terrorism will not put at risk the security arrangements in place to fight terrorism and to advance the common cause of the international community.
In 2018 and 2020, President Kenyatta and Donald Trump elevated the two countries’ bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and established a trade and investment working group to explore ways to deepen the trade and investment ties between the them.
The two countries believe an agreement between them has the potential to serve as a model for additional agreements in the region. Kenya will be the second country in Africa to sign such a deal after Morocco which did it in 2004. America currently has free trade agreements with 20 countries in the world
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