KIPPRA called on the Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade, Ms Regina Ombam on 5th May 2026. The KIPPRA delegation was led by the Executive Director, Dr Eldah Onsomu, Discussions focused on potential areas of collaboration among them joint review of trade agreements and frameworks, hosting research workshops and webinars and participation of the State Department in the upcoming Conference.
During the meeting, the Principal Secretary commended KIPPRA’s comparative advantage in public policy research, expressing her State Department’s desire to leverage the Institute’s expertise. She highlighted the urgent need to review historical trade frameworks, such as the post-independence East African Community (EAC) protocols, as well as current international instruments including the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework, the SADC Protocol on Trade, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The PS noted that KIPPRA’s policy analysis would be vital in providing the empirical evidence needed to guide future policy design.
In turn, Dr Eldah Onsomu and the Ag. Director, Directorate of Integrated Development, Dr John Karanja, outlined KIPPRA’s relevant work, particularly ongoing and completed reviews of trade agreements to which Kenya is party. The two parties agreed to establish a formal collaborative framework and identified key joint initiatives, including hosting co-branded workshops to disseminate research on trade and foreign policy, as well as coordinating the State Department’s participation in KIPPRA’s upcoming annual conference.
The PS was accompanied by Mr Aloyce Ratemo, a director at the State Department and a representative of the PS on the KIPPRA Board.
