Labour mobility is structured process, Mudavadi assures

Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi has assured that the migration and mobility partnership with Germany is a structured and mutually beneficial process.

Mr Mudavadi, who is also the Prime Cabinet Secretary, said yesterday that it is not a haphazard migration and both countries want to use it more positively to ensure productive mobility.

He said the issue of brain drain cannot arise because Kenya is also churning out a lot of skilled personnel and international opportunities are equally important as much as the local ones.

“I may not give you specific data at this point but the position is we are seeing a more structured approach for those who want to move and take advantage of the opportunities in Germany in terms of skilled direction. It is not a haphazard migration,” Mudavadi said.

He made the remarks during a joint press conference in Nairobi with visiting German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul.

“I am not worried about brain drain because Kenya is churning out a lot of skills and international opportunities are equally important for them just as much as those locally but we are not worried about brain drain,” Mudavadi explained.

Earlier, Mudavadi held talks with Wadephul, where they underscored the importance of the comprehensive migration and mobility partnership agreement signed by the two countries in September 2024 as a flagship framework for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Mr Wadephul also affirmed that the partnership is functioning and citing a case in point where Kenyan skilled bus drivers are already in his country doing the work diligently.

“It is running and functioning and I do not see any obstacles for both sides. At the end of the day we are seeing profits on both sides and it is a structured process. We are not in a hurry but we need to do what is required on that front,” Wadephul said.

At the same time, Kenya and Germany said it back the United Nations (UN) owing to the vital role the institution plays globally, amid mixed reactions by countries over US President Donald Trump’s ‘board of peace’.

Mudavadi said Kenya supports the move to strengthen the UN give the role it plays in solving global tensions and conflicts, even as he confirmed that Kenya was not invited to the ‘board of peace’.

“We were not invited on that initiative but from our perspective as Kenyans, it is important that institutions such as UN are strengthened because the whole aspect of peace architecture globally is anchored around UN. That is why we have peace and security council, which is recognized internationally on issues like levels of intervention,” Mudavadi said.

He also explained that Kenya believes multilateralism is the way to go and if there are issues, it is important to reform the UN rather than create parallel processes if there has to be a coordinated approach.

With Wadephul also saying: “On the UN system, I can only support what my colleague said We have a peace council and that is the UN. We need to reform it, make it more effective and there are many good reasons to do that this is what I understood from US President Trump he clearly said that the system does not need to be replaced, it needs to be reformed and more effective. Africa needs to be better represented at the security council.”

Meanwhile, Mudavadi said Germany is Kenya’s fifth-largest development partner, with commitments totaling approximately €2.5 billion, including €153 million for climate action, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture for the period 2022–2024.

Presently, he said over 120 German companies operate in Kenya and the 2024 Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership between the two country’s seeks to improve skills development and facilitate structured labour mobility.

“We held extensive bilateral discussions aimed at deepening cooperation in key priority areas, including migration and mobility, climate change and renewable energy, peace and security, and multilateral cooperation,” Mudavadi said.

On climate action and renewable energy, he said Kenya welcomes Germany’s support through the Climate and Development Partnership framework, with the two Ministers discussing cooperation in geothermal energy, green hydrogen, and Kenya’s clean energy transition, noting the strong alignment between Germany’s climate diplomacy and Kenya’s ambition to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2030.