Members of Parliament and senior officials from the United States Congress have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening parliamentary cooperation and expanding bilateral relations, with renewed focus on trade, education, youth empowerment and democratic governance.
The discussions, held between MPs led by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe and officials from the U.S. Congress, explored opportunities to deepen collaboration between the two legislatures while advancing shared economic and development interests.
Speaking during the meeting, Wangwe commended the United States for supporting Kenya's democratic institutions through parliamentary capacity-building programmes, institutional exchanges and technical cooperation.
He said the partnership had played a significant role in strengthening Kenya's bicameral Parliament since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution and had enhanced collaboration between the two countries.
"Our partnership has contributed significantly to the development of our parliamentary institutions through training programmes, institutional exchanges and technical cooperation," Wangwe said.
Trade emerged as one of the key issues during the discussions, with Kenyan lawmakers calling for increased market access for locally produced goods in the United States.
They urged U.S. officials to support the timely renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the preferential trade arrangement that allows eligible African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market.
"There is still a need to expand market access for Kenyan products in the United States by improving awareness of U.S. trade requirements and ensuring the timely renewal of AGOA," Wangwe said.
AGOA, enacted in 2000, has been instrumental in supporting Kenya's exports, particularly textiles, apparel, coffee, tea and horticultural products.
However, uncertainty surrounding its future has prompted calls from African countries for an early extension to safeguard investments and jobs linked to the programme.
Education also featured prominently in the discussions, with Members of Parliament expressing concern over visa challenges affecting Kenyan students seeking to study in the United States.
The legislators appealed for increased scholarship opportunities and expanded educational exchange programmes to strengthen people-to-people relations.
The Kenyan delegation further highlighted youth employment and entrepreneurship as critical priorities, citing government initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Programme and the establishment of the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development to create employment opportunities for young people.
The U.S. congressional delegation reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining parliamentary exchanges and strengthening cooperation in governance, trade, investment, education and youth empowerment.
Both delegations agreed that strong democratic institutions and continued dialogue remain central to addressing common challenges and promoting sustainable development.
The meeting forms part of Kenya's broader efforts to deepen strategic relations with the United States, one of its largest development and trade partners.
Beyond economic cooperation, the two countries continue to collaborate on governance reforms, regional security, health, education and climate resilience.
Lawmakers expressed optimism that enhanced parliamentary diplomacy would strengthen bilateral relations while opening new opportunities for trade, investment and academic collaboration that benefit citizens of both countries.
