US now second top importer of Kenya's goods

The U.S. has become Kenya's second destination of exports, as trade relations between the two countries grow.
The world's biggest economy has edged out Britain from the second slot, according to the latest economic data from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Britain has been Kenya's second top destination of exports for years after toppling Tanzania. Uganda remains the biggest consumer of Kenya's goods.
In the first six months of this year, Kenya exported to the U.S. goods worth 211 million U.S. dollars, marginally edging out Britain, whose imports from the East African nation stood at 209 million dollars.
Exports to Uganda in the first six months stood at 256 million dollars and to Tanzania 199 million dollars.
The bulk of Kenya's exports to the U.S. were done in the second quarter of the year. Between April and June, the exports did not go down below 34.5 million dollars a month, said KNBS in the Leading Economic Indicators report for June.
During the period, the average monthly exports stood at 40.2 million dollars, and the total for the quarter stood at 120 million dollars.
On the other hand, in the first three months of the year, total exports for the quarter stood at 91 million dollars.
Kenya's exports to the nation has been rising consistently since January, an indication of good trade relations. If the trend continues in the second half of the year, Kenya's exports to the U. S. will hit a historical level.
The East African nation's main exports to the U.S. include apparels, cut flowers, tea and coffee.
Trade ties between the two nations are set to rise as President Uhuru Kenyatta is currently in the U.S., where he is expected to push for renewal of AGOA agreement for a further 15 years.
Kenyatta is attending the U.S-Africa Leaders' Summit, which is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between U.S. and Africa.