New Pathways Unlocked: Germany and Kenya Seal Groundbreaking Migration Deal

Germany and Kenya Strengthen Migration Cooperation

Germany and Kenya have signed an agreement to promote the recruitment of skilled workers and facilitate the return of Kenyans without the right to stay in Germany.

The agreement, signed by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, aims to strengthen cooperation in managing migration from Kenya. This move is part of the German government’s migration policy, which focuses on individual agreements with countries of origin.

Similar agreements already exist with India, Georgia, and Morocco, and the federal government has agreed on closer cooperation in migration management with Colombia. Further agreements are expected to be signed with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in the near future.

The agreements have two central elements: promoting the influx of skilled workers and cooperation in the return of asylum seekers who are required to leave the country. In the case of Kenya, the skilled workers are mainly in the nursing and hospitality sectors.

According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, 818 Kenyans in Germany were required to leave the country on July 31. However, deportation has been temporarily suspended for 738 of them, meaning that they are tolerated in Germany. In total, almost 15,000 Kenyans are registered in Germany.

The agreement with Uzbekistan is expected to be signed soon, with 203 Uzbeks required to leave the country, of which 136 are tolerated. In total, 225,000 migrants in Germany are required to leave the country, with Kenyans and Uzbeks accounting for only 0.45 percent.