NAIROBI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will lead a trade delegation to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, early next month.

    Kenyan Trade Minister Amos Kimunya told a news conference in Nairobi on Wednesday that Clinton will be accompanied by the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Commerce among others.

    "These three will lead the 300 members of the government delegation," Kimunya said of the forum scheduled for Nairobi from August 4 to 6.

    The act, which was signed into law in 2000, allows about 6,500 product lines from 40 eligible African countries into the U.S. market duty free.

    Eugene Young, the U.S. Embassy's economic counselor said next month's visit by Clinton and her counterparts, Tom Vilisack of Agriculture and Ron Kirk of Trade is a good opportunity to market Kenya to the world.

    "It will be a boon to the country's image if the government will utilize that opportunity to state concrete steps it has taken to help improve the country's image from last year's problems," Young told journalists in Nairobi on Tuesday.

    Kimunya said registration was well on course with local businessmen having nearly superseded their targeted quarter.

    "The number of people who had registered to participate as of Tuesday was over 700 from the private sector and all the exhibition booths have been taken up. That's commitment," he said.

    Kimunya said the forum will provide an opportunity for Kenya to showcase her products and engage with Washington's market players as well as review trade policies.

    Trade between Kenya and the United States has been largely in favor of the latter. For example in 2006, Kenya's exports to the United States amounted to approximately 21 billion shillings (about 273 million U.S. dollars) and 19.23 shillings in 2007 against imports of approximately 24.73 billion shillings in 2006 and 44.59 billion shillings in 2007.

    Kenya's exports to the United States are relatively lower priced goods and commodities such as tea, coffee, textiles, apparels, pyrethrum and processed nuts. U.S. exports to Kenya have generally been manufactured high value goods such as aircraft parts, machinery, electrical and electronic equipments.