By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
Kenya and Austria have committed to finalising a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Cooperation in the Field of Mobility and Migration aimed at promoting managed legal migration and fostering mutually beneficial exchanges of skilled labour.
The Prime CS and CS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Hon. Mudavadi had a sideline meeting with the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg and agreed on a decision to establish a formal mechanism for regular and structured political consultations between Kenya and Austria, reflecting the shared foreign policy priorities.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi said that they also pledge to strengthen high-level bilateral engagements, including more frequent and substantive exchanges at the highest levels of Government.
“We agreed that the two countries committed to amplifying bilateral economic cooperation, leveraging the momentum from the Austrian trade Mission to Kenya in October 2023,” Hon. Mudavadi said on X.
Present at the event were Maurice Makoloo, the Ambassador of Kenya to Austria, and Ambassador Robert Zischg, who serves as the Director of the Department for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Austrian Foreign Ministry, along with several other distinguished guests.
Hon. Mudavadi added that the government of Kenya have had a similar agreement with other nations on the exchange of labour.
“The move to have Mobility and Migration to enhance managed legal migration and mutually beneficial exchanges of skilled labour with Austria comes days after Kenya and Germany signed a similar agreement,” he added.
Alexander Schallenberg also said that Kenya is a key partner for Austria, both politically and economically and they look forward to strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade and investment as well as in combating illegal migration.