Faced with a severe labour shortage, Germany signed a migration agreement with Kenya on Friday 13 September, aimed in particular at attracting qualified personnel.
In Kenya there are “an incredible number of highly qualified IT specialists”said Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto in Berlin. The latter, for his part, stressed “the immense human capital”, “the power of innovation and creativity” from their country, where the average age is 20 years.
Thanks to this agreement, “Skilled workers or young people will be able to come to Germany for training”Olaf Scholz said, believing that this could help to curb “the shortage of skilled labor”the effects of which are already being felt in the German economy.
“Efficient return procedures”
“The basis of our prosperity is our openness to the world and we must defend it”The Chancellor estimated, while advocating for “Clearly limit illegal immigration”The agreement signed on Friday provides “Effective return procedures for those who came from Kenya but do not or cannot acquire the right to stay in Germany”added Olaf Scholz.
Berlin has already concluded migration agreements with India in December 2022 and with Georgia a year later. Another agreement is due to follow next week on the occasion of Mr Scholz’s visit to Uzbekistan. The German government is also negotiating such treaties with Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines.
In recent weeks, Germany has experienced a series of Islamist attacks, which have forced the Scholz government to tighten its immigration policy. Kenya is relatively low among illegal arrivals. During the first eight months, only 225 people from this country submitted a first request for asylum on the other side of the Rhine.
From January to August, only one case was granted asylum and only ten others were granted refugee status.
