Kenya and Germany have initiated negotiations for a bilateral labor agreement aiming to foster labor mobility between the two nations.
This agreement is anticipated to streamline and regulate the movement of workers, marking a significant step in their bilateral relations.
A technical committee comprising representatives from both governments has been constituted and directed to immediately initiate the development of a labour mobility framework for the two countries.
This momentous decision was reached following a meeting between Labor Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore and her German counterpart Hubertus Heil in Berlin.
CS Bore, who led a strong Kenyan delegation of Labour and Foreign Affairs officials in the mission, said the task force is expected to draft a labour Mobility framework in which migration will be fast-tracked through minimizing bureaucracy.
“I can now officially announce that we have started the process that is meant to address the issue of shortage of skills in the German labour market as well as the surplus of skilled and non-skilled labour in Kenya,” the CS who was flanked by Diaspora Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu said.
Both CS Bore and Heil acknowledged that the agreement arrived at will be a result of an initiative that was conceptualized during the exchange of high-level visits between President William Ruto and Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz in March and May 2023 respectively.
“Following the discussions, it was agreed that a task force drawing membership from both countries be constituted to develop a labour mobility framework which will allow migration of Kenyan Skilled workers to Germany in a safe, orderly and regular manner”
CS Bore gave assurances that the Kenyan Government has put in place measures to streamline labour migration by restructuring its policy, legal and institutional framework to support a seamless migration of Kenyan workers to key foreign destination markets.
“Indeed, we are grateful to the government of Germany for considering Kenya as the first country in sub-Saharan Africa and the second country in the entire African continent with whom to sign a labour mobility agreement,” said the CS who also held a separate meeting with the country’s Commissioner for Migration Joakim Stamp.
During the meeting with Stamp, Bore hailed the German government for adopting a new immigration law that will now provide an easy and simplified process of immigration to Germany particularly for skilled workers.
“We hope that this new law will catalyse the negotiation process we have kicked off, as envisaged under the agreed roadmap”
Kenya, she reiterated, seeks to fill in the skills deficit in Germany’s labour market with its well-trained, qualified, hardworking and disciplined labour force in various fields of ICT, health care, construction, engineering, agriculture and hospitality among others.
“We are able and ready to supply the required labour to fill in the skills deficient in your labour market,” summed up the Cabinet Secretary in her submission.
Source: The Star