Public Service Commission (PSC) has appointed advocate Caroline Saroni to boost Kenya’s trade negotiations and exports as the National Trade Negotiations Council Secretariat Head.

According to PSC, Saroni will help Kenya in her efforts to increase her share of exports to GDP from the current 10 per cent to 25 per cent by 2025, and to 30 per cent by 2030.

“In line with the Government agenda to increase the share of exports to GDP from 10 per cent currently to 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030, the Cabinet in December 2022 approved the operationalization of the National Trade Negotiations Council to coordinate the trade negotiations mandate in pursuit of our export-led economic agenda,” said PSC in the media release.

The critical council is domiciled in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), which is headed by Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.

“Accordingly, the Public Service Commission has appointed Ms Caroline Saroni as the Head of the Secretariat, National Trade Negotiations Council, under the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI),” PSC added.

Saroni is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with more than 17 years of experience and is the immediate former Chairperson of the Advocates Complaints Commission.

The advocate joins the council with broad experience in International Trade and Investment Law after serving as a lecturer at the Kenyatta University School of Law since the year 2009.

She has worked as a trade and investment law consultant for varied global organisations and is also an Adjunct Executive Fellow at Strathmore University Business School, Institute of Public Policy and Governance.

Saroni has widespread experience in public governance and has served as a board member of the Tobacco Control Board and the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis.

The Kenyan legal professional is also an alumna of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and the McCabbe Centre for Law and Cancer in Australia.