Exporting to Kenya vs. Vietnam: Trade Policies Compared
This paper compares the import policies, tariffs, and trade restrictions of Kenya and Vietnam to evaluate which country offers the more favorable export environment for a firm seeking international market entry. It outlines Kenya's East African Community Common External Tariff structure, import declaration requirements, and investment obstacles, then examines Vietnam's tariff reductions under its Bilateral Trade Agreement and its history of rapid economic growth driven by foreign direct investment. Based on this analysis, the paper recommends Vietnam as the more suitable export destination due to its openness to foreign trade and the fact that its imports exceed its exports.
- Introduction: Two Emerging Export Markets: Overview of Kenya and Vietnam as export targets
- Kenya's Economy and Trade Background: Kenya's growth history and regional economic role
- Kenya's Import Policies, Tariffs, and Restrictions: EAC tariff structure and import requirements
- Vietnam's Economy and Trade Background: Vietnam's rapid growth and foreign trade history
- Vietnam's Import Policies, Tariffs, and Restrictions: Vietnam's tariff reductions and investment conditions
- Recommendation for Export Destination: Vietnam recommended over Kenya for export
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses a parallel structure to compare both countries across the same criteria — economy, tariffs, and restrictions — making the analysis easy to follow and evaluate.
- Grounds its recommendation in concrete data, citing specific tariff rates (e.g., Kenya's 12.6% average applied rate, Vietnam's 15% low-end tariff) and trade figures ($71.6 billion in Vietnamese exports).
- Acknowledges the strengths of both markets before issuing a recommendation, which strengthens the paper's credibility and shows balanced reasoning.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates comparative policy analysis — a standard technique in international business writing. By evaluating two countries against the same set of criteria (economic background, tariff structure, investment restrictions), the author builds toward a data-supported recommendation rather than an opinion-based one. This mirrors real-world market-entry analysis frameworks used in trade consulting and international business strategy.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with brief economic profiles of Kenya and Vietnam, then dedicates a section to each country's import policies and tariff structures. It closes with a recommendation that synthesizes the preceding analysis. The structure is straightforward and functional: background → policy comparison → conclusion. This pattern is typical of short undergraduate business analysis papers and works well for a focused, two-country comparison.
Introduction: Two Emerging Export Markets
Kenya is the largest economy in East Africa, making it a regional transportation and financial hub. The country's growth originates from its promotion of rapid economic development since independence through various initiatives, including public investment, incentives for private — often foreign — industrial investment, and the encouragement of small-scale agricultural production (Kenya: Economy, 2011).
Vietnam, by contrast, was considered one of the fastest-growing economies in the world from 1990–1997 and again from 1998–2003. Its economic growth can be partly attributed to significant foreign trade and foreign direct investment following the authorization of foreign investment in 1988. Between 1990 and 2005, the country was transformed from a net food importer into the second-largest exporter of rice in the world. While Vietnam still runs a structural trade deficit — approximately $12.4 billion in 2010 — its exports were around $71.6 billion and its imports approximately $84 billion that same year.
Kenya's Economy and Trade Background
Kenya's role as the dominant economy in East Africa positions it as both a financial and logistical hub for the broader region. Its sustained economic growth since independence has been driven by a combination of public investment, foreign private investment incentives, and support for small-scale agricultural production. These factors have made Kenya an attractive destination for international trade partners and foreign firms seeking a foothold in the East African market (Kenya: Economy, 2011).
References
Kenya: Economy. (2011). GlobalEdge: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge. Retrieved from http://globaledge.msu.edu/Countries/Kenya/economy
Kenya. (2010). Trade Representative. Retrieved from Office of the United States Trade Representative website:
Vietnam: Economy. (2011). GlobalEdge: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge. Retrieved from http://globaledge.msu.edu/Countries/Vietnam/economy
Vietnam. (2010). Trade Representative. Retrieved from Office of the United States Trade Representative website:
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