FSA BUILDS GOVERNMENT CAPACITY FOR EVIDENCE-BASED TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

Kenya is strengthening its capacity to negotiate trade agreements that advance national and regional economic interests through enhanced application of economic analysis and evidence in trade policy formulation.

This was the focus of a training on Economic Analysis for Trade Negotiations convened by the Foreign Service Academy (FSA), in collaboration with the High Commission of Malaysia in Nairobi and the Centre for Trade and Development.

The training was facilitated by Professor Dato’ Dr. Sufian Jusoh, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Amb. Alfred K’Ombundo, the President’s Senior Advisor on Trade Policy and Commercial Diplomacy.

Principal Secretary for Trade, Ms. Regina Akoth Ombam, attended the training, which brought together more than 25 participants drawn from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The programme focused on strengthening participants’ ability to apply economic evidence in trade negotiations, formulate negotiating positions informed by national policy objectives, and assess the potential benefits, costs and trade-offs of negotiated commitments.

Participants also examined how business conditions and implementation constraints affect anticipated trade gains, tested assumptions underpinning economic arguments, distinguished evidence-based positions from assertions, and identified information gaps requiring further analysis.

The training underscored the importance of sound economic analysis and inter-agency coordination in strengthening Kenya’s negotiating capacity and securing trade agreements that deliver tangible benefits to the country and the wider region.

The initiative reinforces the Foreign Service Academy’s role in building technical expertise to advance Kenya’s economic and commercial diplomacy agenda.