Kenyan President William Ruto has welcomed plans by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by one year, saying the move would safeguard ongoing trade gains.

The AGOA agreement, established in 2000, gives dozens of African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets and has been a critical lifeline for many regional industries, including textiles and agriculture. The Kenyan President said the extension of the pact, which expired on September 30, 2025, will allow for the development of a "more ambitious" deal.

Kenya is among the top African beneficiaries of the program, which has provided the country significant export earnings annually. "We have identified several areas for expansion: apparel and textiles, agricultural products, leather and footwear, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and ICT and digital services," Ruto said during a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Washington, D.C.