Held a consultative meeting with representatives of the apparel industry at State House, Nairobi, following the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). I briefed stakeholders on my recent discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, where we explored not only the extension of AGOA but also the establishment of a long-term framework to guarantee stable and predictable market access for our products. This will go a long way in strengthening our apparel industry, which remains vital to our economy and the livelihoods of thousands of families. In 2024, for example, Kenya led Sub-Saharan Africa in apparel exports to the United States, earning 600 million and creating 70,000 direct jobs for Kenyans. In the meantime, I assured them that operations in the industry will continue without disruption as talks with the U.S. Government proceed with the urgency they deserve.(William Samoei Ruto, PhD)