Sustainable Development Commitments in the Kenya–EU Economic Partnership Agreement

The December 2023 EU–Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is hailed as the most ambitious trade deal ever signed by the EU with a developing country in terms of sustainability. This paper examines the EPA’s sustainable development commitments, guided by two research questions: why Kenya chose the EU over other global actors, and whether it is equipped to comply with the EPA’s obligations. The analysis focuses on Annex V on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) and related provisions. The EPA embeds binding obligations on labour standards, climate and environmental protection, and gender equality, requiring implementation of ILO core conventions, the Paris Agreement, and CEDAW. It prohibits lowering standards to attract trade and includes institutional mechanisms for cooperation, aid, and civil society oversight. Enforcement relies on general dispute settlement, with limitations. The paper situates the EPA within EU trade policy and assesses Kenya’s legal, institutional, and economic capacity to meet its commitments. While the EPA reflects an ambitious trade for sustainable development model, its success will depend on credible implementation and sustained support.