President William Ruto has announced that Kenya is seeking to sign ten new bilateral agreements to enable Kenyan workers to seek employment in European, North American, and Middle Eastern countries. Ruto made the remarks during the Labor Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on May 1, 2023. He disclosed that most of the deals would be with Germany, which is presently lobbying to have more Kenyan workers. Ruto said he will host the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, later in the week to sign bilateral labor agreements.
Ruto stated that the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will sign deals with Canada and Saudi Arabia, among other nations, to create employment opportunities for Kenyan youth. He mentioned that ten agreements would be signed within the next few months to enable Kenyans to seize these opportunities. The President added that the government is encouraged by increasing diaspora remittances from Kenyans abroad. The remittances hit a record $4.027 billion in 2022, almost reaching the exports' level, which brought in $5.77 billion worth of foreign currency.
Ruto emphasized that the country earns more foreign exchange from diaspora remittances than any of its major exports. According to Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) data, Kenya earned more foreign exchange from diaspora remittances than coffee, tea, and horticulture exports last year. Tea, Kenya's primary export, earned the country $1.2 billion, while horticulture brought in $901 million, chemicals ($521 million), coffee ($301 million), and petroleum products ($77 million).
Ruto pointed out that many countries have developed their economies by providing job opportunities for their citizens in other countries. He noted that while creating employment locally, the government is working to do the same abroad. However, the welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora has been a significant challenge, with reports of mistreatment of Kenyans by employers, mostly in the Middle East, hitting the country each year.
According to the Foreign Ministry, over four million Kenyans live and work abroad, with the majority in the Middle East and Europe. The Ministry of Labor states that while about 1.2 million Kenyans join the labor market annually, the formal and informal sectors can only absorb 800,000 each year. Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, who assumed office in October last year, visited Saudi Arabia in his first weeks in office to address the plight of mistreated Kenyan migrant workers in the Gulf State.
In conclusion, President Ruto's announcement that the government is seeking to sign ten bilateral labor agreements with various nations is an encouraging sign for Kenyan youth seeking employment opportunities abroad. The move will not only create employment opportunities but also enhance the country's foreign exchange earnings through diaspora remittances. However, the government must ensure that the welfare of Kenyans working abroad is safeguarded.