The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has identified Kenyans in the diaspora as a crucial resource for sourcing job opportunities for citizens back home.
This was communicated by Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu on Tuesday, May 28, in Minnesota, United States, during a diaspora engagement forum.
According to PS Njogu, this will complement efforts pursued by the government to ensure the eradication of unemployment.
“The government is doing all it can to address the issue of unemployment back home by seeking to engage Kenya's skilled, talented and resilient youthful population through sourcing for gainful employment opportunities,” the PS stated.
She added that her State Department was also championing the protection of the rights and welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora.
Apart from finding job opportunities for Kenyans back home, diasporans were asked to contribute to the labour mobility discourse.
President William Ruto’s administration is engaging multiple countries to sign labour agreements that will see Kenya export 2,500 citizens weekly to work abroad.
The Kenya Kwanza administration foresees this as not only a way to end unemployment but also boost the country economically through diaspora remittances.
Already, the government is finalising labour agreements with Canada, Germany, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman among others.
Apart from engaging in labour mobility discourses, Kenyans in the diaspora were also challenged to participate in skills and knowledge transfer.
Economically, PS Njogu remarked that Kenyans working abroad should consider investing at home, remarking there were immense opportunities across various sectors.
Those willing to invest were asked to consider putting their money in Special Economic Zones, Agriculture, Information Communication and Technology sectors among others.
