AfCFTA Policy Brief Final
AfCFTA Policy Brief Final
POLICY BRIEF
KENYA’S NATIONAL AfCFTA
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
2022 - 2027
Executive Summary
The signing of the agreement establishing AfCFTA performance in meeting her commitments under the
in Kigali, Rwanda, in 21st March, 2018 was a key various Pan-African integration frameworks.
milestone for Africa’s trade Agenda. Kenya is an
active participant in regional economic integration AfCFTA is a game changer and a key engine
initiatives and in promoting Pan-Africanism and its of economic growth and industrialisation for
values. Kenya’s active participation in the regional sustainable development. The Agreement enables
agenda is demonstrated by commitment from country specialisation in sectors with comparative
Kenya’s leadership as well as the country’s strong advantage, economies of scale, structural
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
transformation and the creation of a continental This strategy outlines a broad and inclusive list of
single market of over 1.2 billion people and a prioritised AfCFTA sectors for merchandise goods,
combined GDP of over US$ 2.5 trillion. services and regional value chains that builds on
three sectors identified in Kenya’s Integrated National
This Strategy is to leverage deeper integration within Export Development and Promotion Strategy. In
the framework of the African Continental Free Trade addition, the strategy encompasses a vision and
Area (AfCFTA) to facilitate an expansion of Kenya’s mission as well as seven strategic objectives born
trade and investment in Africa, support structural out of a robust situational analysis of Kenya’s current
transformation and foster economic growth and production systems and trade patterns, Kenya’s
sustainable development. policy, regulatory and institutional framework, and
the instruments provided under the AfCFTA.
The National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy (2022-
2027) was developed to deliver the expected outcomes The National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy
of AfCFTA. The Strategy is anchored within Kenya’s outlines a risk mitigation plan with an identified
national trade and development frameworks and risk owner and related risk mitigation actions to key
aspires to contribute towards national development. risks to strategy implementation. It also provides a
This will be achieved through securing of markets communication plan that focuses on undertaking
for goods and services within the African region, national AfCFTA sensitisation campaigns. The strategy
promoting value addition and the diversification of delineates a robust monitoring and evaluation
products in those markets by leveraging protection framework to track implementation. On the other
of intellectual property rights, creating conditions for hand, the strategy recommends the establishment
increased participation of MSMEs, women, youth and of an AfCFTA National Implementation Committee
persons with disabilities in trade and investment, and that among other things will be responsible for the
promoting ‘safe trade’ with mitigating interventions implementation of this strategy, mainstreaming
on impact of COVID-19. In so doing, this strategy gender and fostering empowerment of youth
provides a comprehensive approach to trade and and person with disability managing risks and
investment opportunities in Africa, Kenya’s most communications, mobilising financing and
important exporting region, which, in the past, has monitoring and evaluation.
been approached in a fragmented way.
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
Strategic Objectives
The mission for the National AfCFTA Implementation Develop a comprehensive and efficient
Strategy is to bolster Kenya’s trade and investment common national approach to continental
with the AfCFTA states parties in order to support integration and increase awareness around
inclusive economic growth and sustainable AfCFTA for all stakeholders;
development.
Ensure adequate and timely financing for
The Strategic objectives of this National AfCFTA strategy implementation; and
Implementation Strategy include: -
Contribute to sustainable development
Facilitate safe, secure and effective trade in through mutually supportive trade and
goods and services within the AfCFTA; environment initiatives
Enhance Kenya’s productive capacity and the The specific goals of this National AfCFTA implementa-
competitive advantage of domestic producers tion strategy over the next five years are as follows:
and exporters under AfCFTA;
Consolidate, diversify and expand Kenya’s
Build strong institutional and regulatory Exports to Africa; and
framework to support effective
implementation of AfCFTA Agreement; Ensure Kenya’s manufacturing sector real
value-added increases by 5% per annum
Facilitate inclusiveness (women, youth,
persons with disabilities) and the active These goals are achievable given the following:
participation of MSMEs in leveraging
a. Rebounding of domestic exports: Over the
opportunities under AfCFTA for sustainable
period 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2025,
development;
Kenya is expected to commence exports of
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
Develop relevant content in local languages Foreign governments and their missions in Kenya
where possible (videos, fliers, newspaper Foreign country chambers of commerce
articles, animations, images Et cetera.) for
promotion of AfCFTA Agenda, Kenya’s exports Economic operators, business interest groups and
commercial operators
in the destination markets and sensitisation
of the trade and services value chain on the Foreign country civil society organisations based
various media and trade platforms. in Kenya
Regional, continental and international
The targeted stakeholders at the national and county- organisations
levels for this communication plan are government,
the private sector and their associations and civil
society. Outside of Kenya, the targeted stakeholders
are Kenya’s Missions’ abroad, foreign governments
and regional, continental and international a) Government
organisations amongst others (see following table).
At the government level, the national sensitisation
Communication Plan – Target Groups campaign will focus on sensitising the different
government branches at the national and county
National and County-Levels levels. The discussion will include: the scope of
AfCFTA Agreement and status of operationalisation;
Government AfCFTA’s implications to Kenya; what econometric
Government (National and County) modelling says about the consequences for Kenya;
the main arguments in favour of AfCFTA; and the
Legislature National Strategy (including metrics for evaluation
Parastatals and coordination structures).
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
This national sensitisation campaign at the MDAs in the 1st year of implementation of the
government-level will also focus on sensitising strategy (subsequently on a need basis);
Kenya’s Foreign Service staff on AfCFTA so that they
Prepare and circulate periodic cabinet briefs
position Kenya as an AfCFTA leader in Africa and a
on AfCFTA;
key investment anchor and trade hub in Africa. In
addition, Kenya’s Foreign Service officers stationed in Sensitise Kenya’s Foreign Service Officers
Africa should be sensitised to promote Kenya’s brand on need to promote Kenya’s brand in Africa,
across Africa. position Kenya as leader in regional and
continental integration efforts and as a key
The national sensitisation campaign at the government investment anchor and trade hub in Africa;
level should sensitise agriculture, livestock and fisheries
extension officers on AfCFTA so that they can effectively Sensitise agriculture, livestock and fisheries
rollout a plan to sensitise farmers, pastoralists and extension officers on AfCFTA so that they
fishermen on AfCFTA and its opportunities during the can include sensitisation of AfCFTA in their
course of their extension work. extension work; and
Institute feed-back mechanism to get
The National Implementation Committee (NIC)
perspectives on opportunities and challenges
and State Departments for Trade and Enterprise
on AfCFTA implementation from all
Development should take the lead in this sensitisation
stakeholders.
effort. Specific actions to be conducted are as follows:
Conduct one day sensitisation retreat on In addition, the NIC should encourage regular
AfCFTA for high-level functionaries (annually); State Party to State Party interactions on AfCFTA
implementation process to share experiences and get
Conduct one sensitisation workshop for
insights.
officers holding directorship positions in line
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
Ensure content delivery in local languages The specific sensitisation activities should include the
where possible. following:
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Kenya’s National AfCFTA Implementation Strategy 2022 - 2027
These efforts should be prioritised by NIC and the Consolidating, diversifying and expanding
Ministry responsible for Foreign Affairs. The specific Kenya’s Exports to Africa; and
activities include the following:
Ensuring Kenya’s manufacturing sector real
Engaging with foreign media on AfCFTA; value-added increases by 5% per annum
Hosting AfCFTA-related roundtables and
workshops in Kenya’s embassies and high In addition, the monitoring and evaluation framework
commissions abroad; should track implementation of interventions for
Hosting AfCFTA roundtables with foreign each strategic objective. Each of these interventions
missions, regional organisations, and have either one or more associated indicators.
international organisations in Kenya; Progress on each of these interventions should be
benchmarked against their associated indicators and
Lobbying foreign governments where
be gender-disaggregated where possible.
applicable; and
Participating in similar events in those It is recommended that there be quarterly and annual
countries that are of interest for Kenya. reporting. The quarterly reports should benchmark
actual performance over set targets on key indicators.
At all levels, there should be involvement of media Many of these quarterly performance benchmarks
associations and key media houses for print, will be sourced from quarterly reports from annual
television and radio in the communication strategy. work plans (for example, NTBs) and consolidated.
Thus, reporters should be sensitised on how to cover Meanwhile, the annual reports should provide a more
and report trade related issues. robust assessment as well as details on challenges,
lessons learned and recommendations moving
forward.
Monitoring and Evaluation
In terms of evaluation, a final report at the end of
The importance of monitoring and evaluation the 5th year is recommended which will inform the
cannot be understated. Monitoring and evaluation subsequent 5-year plan. This final report should
allows for the following: tracking implementation assess the extent to which set objectives are met and
of activities, resources, outputs and outcomes; impact created at the end of the 5th year according
facilitating harmonised reporting and communication to the strategic objectives. It will rely heavily on the
of results; and enhancing efficiency in planning and monitoring reports that are generated across the
implementation. period. The criteria for evaluation should be based
on relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and
Overall, the monitoring and evaluation framework
sustainability. Additionally, the assessment should
for the strategy rests on measuring achievement of
be based on implementation framework and theory
the strategy’s specific goals. These goals are outlined
of change.
below: