In a move aimed at addressing its aging population and a growing shortage of skilled workers, Germany has signed a labor and migration agreement with Kenya. The deal, announced on Friday, will allow qualified Kenyan workers to live and work in the largest economy within the European Union.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, welcoming Kenyan President William Ruto to Berlin, highlighted the crucial role this agreement plays in addressing Germany’s demographic challenges. “The basis of our prosperity is being open to the world,” Scholz stated, emphasizing the agreement’s significance in tackling the “glaring shortage of skilled workers” in Germany.
Scholz specifically mentioned Kenya’s impressive pool of highly qualified IT professionals, suggesting that a significant number of skilled workers and young Kenyans could soon be coming to Germany for work and vocational training.
President Ruto, hailing the “comprehensive migration and labor mobility partnership agreement,” emphasized its potential to leverage Kenya’s “human capital,” particularly its large youth population. “We can combine the innovation, creativity, energy, talent, knowledge of our young people with German investment, technology and resources and provide for a win-win outcome,” he stated.
The agreement also includes provisions for “effective return procedures” for Kenyan nationals who are unable to secure legal residency in Germany. This aspect is particularly important in light of Germany’s experience with irregular immigration, which has been a sensitive political issue in recent years.
Germany has previously established similar migration agreements with India and Georgia in 2022, and plans to sign a similar agreement with Uzbekistan during Scholz’s visit next week. The country is also engaged in talks with Colombia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, and the Philippines to establish similar arrangements.
