NAIROBI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's agenda for talks with United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday will be dominated by economic and trade issues, the country's top diplomat said on Thursday.
Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade , said other issues in the agenda will include regional security, wildlife management and deepening participation of U.S. in African Union affairs.
"Deepening and growing bilateral relations will be key part of the discussion. The talks will focus on how we can grow AGOA [Africa Growth and Opportunity Act]," she told media in the capital Nairobi.
AGOA allows non-reciprocal free access of selected goods from Africa to the U.S. market. Kenya is among the beneficiary countries, with others having been lobbying to have the trade opportunity extended beyond 2025.
Juma said the talks will be cordial and about mutual interest of the two countries, terming U.S as an important partner for Kenya.
"We shall also be seeking to tap U.S. support for the Big Four Agenda. We believe this is a worthy investment because it will lead to the betterment of living standards of Kenyans," she said.
The Big Four Agenda refers to the four sectors that President Uhuru Kenyatta has committed the largest share of investment in his current term in office.
They include increasing manufacturing contribution to the economy from 9 percent to 15 percent, achieve universal access to health insurance, achieve food security status and construct new 500,000 homes.
Another agenda will be on regional security, said Juma.