Kenya and the US established diplomatic relations immediately after independence in 1963. Ever Since, the two countries have enjoyed cordial bilateral relations founded on longstanding mutual interests in areas of regional security, economic and commercial interests among others. In August 2018, Presidents Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Donald Trump formally elevated the relationship to a Strategic Partnership and established a corresponding Annual Strategic Dialogue.  In July 2020, the United States and Kenya launched negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement, the first ever in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Kenya Vision 2030 aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle income country providing a high quality way of life to all its citizens by the year 2030.  The Government is currently implementing the Third Medium Plan 2018-2022 of Kenya Vision 2030 which outlines programmes and projects aimed at achieving the “Big Four” Agenda, Sustainable Development goals (SDGs) and the Africa Agenda 2063. To implement some of these projects the Government is seeking private sector partners on a Public Private Partnership basis.

The Virtual Trade Mission to Kenya 2021, is aimed at exposing the American Business Community to business and investment opportunities in Kenya. It is hoped that by the end of the Trade Mission, Business entities from both sides will be able to connect and take advantage of the business and investment opportunities shared.

Amongst the countries of the Eastern and Central African region, most American, European and Asian countries prefer to invest in Kenya because of the following favourable fundamentals:

1. Kenya is the largest and most advanced economy in East and Central Africa with strong growth prospects supported by investments in infrastructure and emerging urban middle class. It is ranked 3^rd largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa with a GDP of US$97B ((2019);
2. Kenya’s investment climate is the strongest in the East African Community (EAC)with Foreign Direct Investment flowing in from emerging and developed markets and a high volume of multinational companies with regional and continent-wide head quartered in the country;
3. Kenya is among the 10 most improved economies in the World Bank Ease of doing Business Report (2019) from position 80 in 2017 to position 56 in 2019.
4. Kenya’s Geographical location makes the country ideal for strategic partnership aimed at improving regional and global market share.
5. Kenya is the dominant economy in the East African Community, contributing approximately 50% of the region’s GDP and is Centrally located in region, providing investors access to wider consumer Market of up to 174 million people in the East Africa Community (EAC) and 560 million in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern African Africa (COMESA) region;
6. Kenya is a member of several trade arrangements and a beneficiary of Trade Promotion Schemes that include the World Trade Organization, EAC-EU Trade Agreement, African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) and Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA);