The negotiations aimed at developing an agreement on a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility partnership between Kenya and Germany continued this week.
Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, and his Diaspora Affairs counterpart Roseline Njogu led a delegation to Berlin for the talks.
Joachim Stamp, the Federal Government Special Commissioner for Migration agreements, led the German delegation.
According to a brief joint statement issued at the end of the five-day meeting, the two countries committed to cement a partnership on migration and mobility between them.
"Our discussions were held in a friendly atmosphere where both sides have agreed to strengthen close collaboration in all aspects of migration between Kenya and Germany," the statement reads.
"We have had a fruitful conversation with our counterparts in a very cordial environment. The discussions are meant at building collaborations and kinship on matters migration between the two countries which have historically enjoyed very cordial relationship" Njogu said during the discussions also attended by Charge d'Affairs at the Kenyan Embassy Valerie Rugene.
On behalf of the Kenyan team, Mwadime appreciated the speed at which the discussions were moving, saying it was in the interest of the country to finalize the agreement as soon as possible, to pave the way for its implementation.
A feeling that was echoed in their joint statement, "In the next few weeks, Kenya and Germany will continue to work on the draft agreement to finalise it soon."
Last month, Labour CS Florence Bore met the German Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil.
They agreed to the formation of the technical committee bringing together technocrats from both sides, to develop a framework for migration and mobility between the two countries.
CS Bore took the opportunity to inform the German government of the measures that Kenya has put in place to streamline Labour Migration through restructuring of its policies and legal and institutional framework to support seamless Migration and mobility with Germany.
"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"
She 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.
The ongoing negotiations result from the initiative conceptualized between President William Ruto and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
