Kenyan President William Ruto and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have signed a new agreement to help make it easier for Kenyans to live and work in Germany.
The agreement comes as Germany, Europe's biggest economy, faces severe labor shortages in key industries and is actively looking to ease visa restrictions in order to try and encourage skilled workers from abroad to help fill the gaps.
Ruto is in Berlin for a two-day visit - the third time he has visited Germany since winning office.
The President and Chancellor held a closed door meeting at the Chancellery to discuss key issues including strengthening economic cooperation, before being joined by senior ministers from their respective cabinets to sign the new migration agreement.
Scholz and Ruto announce the deal to reporters. /Liesa Johannssen/Reuters
"Germany needs labor from Europe and many other countries around the world to help out here," said Chancellor Scholz. "The fact that we have managed to do this quite well in recent years is the reason why we are in such a stable economic position. In the last ten or 20 years alone, more than six million additional workers have come to Germany and entered the labor market. Otherwise, we would be in a completely different situation now, a much worse one."
"The agreement we have signed today has high importance," he added.
Ruto said the deal helped connect Kenya's young workforce with German industry.
He told reporters: "Today we celebrate the signing of these comprehensive migration and labor mobility partnership agreements that will provide a context for expanding the relationship between our two countries, the people to people relationship, and for giving us an opportunity to unlock the potential in technology in Germany and human capital in Kenya, where we have a big youth bulge, educated, innovative, hard working young people."
He added: "I think this framework also gives us an opportunity to avoid illegal migrants. Because illegal migrants cause a problem, both to us and to Germany. That's why this framework gives us a good way forward."
While in Germany, Ruto will also hold a roundtable with CEOs from some of Germany's top companies, including Mercedes Benz. Germany is one of Kenya's top foreign investors, with over 100 German firms currently doing business in the country, and both sides have expressed a desire to expand cooperation further. Kenya's President said Nairobi will host a joint business summit in December.
Both leaders also commended the Berlin Citizens Festival decision to partner with Kenya under the slogan 'Stronger Together'. It's the first time a non-European country has been selected as the fair's official international partner.
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