Kenya and Austria are set to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on skilled labor migration, aiming to enhance managed legal migration and facilitate mutually beneficial exchanges between the two nations.
The announcement came through a statement from the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS) Press Service on September 17, 2024.
The agreement marks a significant step in bolstering bilateral cooperation and aligns with Kenya’s broader strategy to expand its international labor market opportunities.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “We also pledge to strengthen high-level bilateral engagements, including more frequent and substantive exchanges at the highest levels of government.”
Mudavadi’s remarks came during a sideline meeting with Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg. The discussions led to an agreement to establish a formal mechanism for regular and structured political consultations between Kenya and Austria. This step aims to ensure continuous and effective dialogue between the two countries on matters of mutual interest.
“The formal mechanism will enable us to maintain robust and consistent political consultations, ensuring that both nations can address issues and opportunities in a timely manner,” Mudavadi noted.
In addition to the labor migration agreement, Kenya and Austria are committed to enhancing bilateral economic cooperation. Mudavadi highlighted the importance of leveraging the success of the Austrian trade mission to Kenya held in October 2023. The trade mission had fostered increased economic ties and opened new avenues for collaboration.
The meeting also saw the participation of Maurice Makoloo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Austria, and Robert Zischg, Director of the Department for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
