Germany has signed an agreement with Kenya to facilitate the recruitment of skilled workers, aiming to address labor shortages in key sectors and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
On Friday in Berlin, officials from Germany and Kenya inked a pact aimed at boosting the enlistment of adept professionals to offset shortages in Germany’s job market while also simplifying the return journey for Kenyans who are not entitled to prolonged sojourns in Germany.
During a trip to Germany, Kenyan President William Ruto met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and signed the agreement.
After a signing ceremony, Scholz informed the press that the agreement is significant as it signifies stronger collaboration between Germany and Kenya concerning migration.
Scholz commented that utilizing this approach could aid in addressing the scarcity of skilled labor, noting that Germany is already experiencing its effects and predicting it will persist for many years to come.
The issue of attracting skilled workers from outside the European Union has been a long-standing challenge for Germany. As its workforce continues to age and dwindle, experts estimate that around 400,000 skilled immigrants are required annually.
According to Scholz, the agreement includes efficient procedures for repatriating individuals from Kenya who lack or cannot obtain permission to remain in our country. In other words, they can now return to their homeland more swiftly and conveniently.
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According to Ruto, the partnership is advantageous for both parties as it combines the abilities of skilled youths from Kenya and advanced German technology and resources.
Expressing his lack of concern over the negative impact on his nation’s development due to the departure of a few Kenyans, he pointed out that Kenya boasts a huge population of young people having an average age around 20. As per him, this massive pool is more than enough for supporting and advancing both Germany and Kenya simultaneously in their respective growth trajectories.
Scholz stated that the abundance of IT specialists from Kenya would be advantageous for Germany.
According to the German news agency, dpa, Germany has already entered into comparable agreements with India, Georgia and Morocco. Furthermore, a similar agreement will be signed by them during Scholz’s visit to Uzbekistan this weekend.
On Friday, at the chancellery in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi signed the agreement while Scholz and Ruto watched from behind them.
The unpopular coalition government led by Scholz is encountering a challenge from the far-right and anti-immigration political party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD showed success in recent state elections held in eastern parts of the country. A subsequent election will occur on September 22nd within Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin.
