Kenya will appeal a regional court decision that suspended its trade agreement with the European Union, Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui said Wednesday, warning the ruling threatens more than $1.5 billion in annual exports to Europe.
The East Africa Court of Justice, based in Arusha, Tanzania, issued an injunction on Monday halting implementation of the 2023 Economic Partnership Agreement between Nairobi and the EU.
The suspension followed a petition filed by the Centre for Law Economics and Policy, a regional nongovernmental organization, which argued the deal violates provisions of the East African Community’s common market treaty.
Kinyanjui said the government has begun the legal process to overturn the injunction, though he did not specify when the appeal will be heard.
He emphasized that the trade pact remains central to Kenya’s economy, guaranteeing access for Kenyan goods to the 27-nation bloc while gradually lowering barriers for European products entering Kenya.
“The Kenya-EU EPA is the lifeline of our booming exports and a source of livelihood to a large majority of Kenyans,” Kinyanjui said in a statement. “Kenya will continue to trade with the EU, and steps are being taken to ensure continuity and protection of our existing commercial arrangements.”
Kenya exported $1.56 billion in goods to the EU last year — mostly horticulture, tea, and coffee — while importing $2.09 billion worth of European products, according to ministry data.
The ruling comes as African economies scramble to secure market access following a wave of higher tariffs imposed by the United States this year. For Kenya, the EU remains one of its most dependable destinations for agricultural exports, and uncertainty over the trade pact raises concerns among producers and exporters already facing global price volatility.
Officials from the East African Community secretariat did not respond to requests for comment.
