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Today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I negotiated better terms and expanded job opportunities for Kenyans seeking employment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including commitments for 293,600 new job opportunities across various sectors. This is a significant milestone in our Kazi Majuu programme and our broader efforts to create dignified, well-paying and sustainable employment opportunities for Kenyans abroad.
At the Ministry of Labour Offices in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, the Vice Minister for Labour.
The meeting, held in the presence of the Kenyan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Amb. Joseph Masila, and other senior Government officials from both countries, provided an important opportunity to strengthen our bilateral labour cooperation and address issues affecting Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia.
We discussed several issues, including:
Reopening of Saudi borders to Kenyans: We engaged on the lifting of restrictions imposed following reports of Ebola cases in Kenya after a traveller entered the country with the disease. The case was promptly identified and isolated. Kenya is now free of any Ebola cases, and it is important to emphasise that we have never had a single case of community transmission. We look forward to the full restoration of access for Kenyan workers.
Skilled workers recruitment agreement: Our technical teams will finalise the agreement within one month to open up more opportunities for skilled Kenyan professionals in the Saudi labour market.
Quality of service and treatment: We discussed the need to continuously improve the treatment, welfare and general working conditions of Kenyans employed in Saudi Arabia.
Pre-departure training and qualification: We agreed on the importance of strengthening training and qualification programmes to better prepare Kenyan workers for their assignments, workplace expectations and cultural environment in Gulf countries.
Improved remuneration: We emphasised the need for better and more competitive remuneration packages for Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia.
Recruitment costs for domestic workers: We signed a letter of intent providing for a THREE-MONTH PILOT on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers, based on market cost competitiveness and arrangements that allow Kenya to remain competitive with neighbouring and competing labour-sending countries.
Expanded employment opportunities: We explored ways of opening up more opportunities for Kenyans across different sectors, with improved employment packages and better recruitment standards.
An important outcome of our engagement was the signing of a technical annex to the bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers, originally signed between Kenya and Saudi Arabia on 5th July 2026.
This is a significant step in strengthening our partnership and improving the regulatory and technical framework governing the recruitment and employment of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
The annex provides for streamlined recruitment procedures, reduced recruitment costs and the adoption of integrated and advanced technical processes. It also seeks to ensure that recruitment and employment are conducted in accordance with approved regulations, while safeguarding the rights of both employers and domestic workers.
Importantly, the framework will strengthen the regulation of contractual relationships, promote awareness of contractual rights and obligations, improve the quality of recruitment services and enhance the efficiency of the entire recruitment process.
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Today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I negotiated better terms and expanded job opportunities for Kenyans seeking employment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including commitments for 293,600 new job opportunities across various sectors. This is a significant milestone in our Kazi Majuu programme and our broader efforts to create dignified, well-paying and sustainable employment opportunities for Kenyans abroad.
At the Ministry of Labour Offices in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, the Vice Minister for Labour.
The meeting, held in the presence of the Kenyan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Amb. Joseph Masila, and other senior Government officials from both countries, provided an important opportunity to strengthen our bilateral labour cooperation and address issues affecting Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia.
We discussed several issues, including:
Reopening of Saudi borders to Kenyans: We engaged on the lifting of restrictions imposed following reports of Ebola cases in Kenya after a traveller entered the country with the disease. The case was promptly identified and isolated. Kenya is now free of any Ebola cases, and it is important to emphasise that we have never had a single case of community transmission. We look forward to the full restoration of access for Kenyan workers.
Skilled workers recruitment agreement: Our technical teams will finalise the agreement within one month to open up more opportunities for skilled Kenyan professionals in the Saudi labour market.
Quality of service and treatment: We discussed the need to continuously improve the treatment, welfare and general working conditions of Kenyans employed in Saudi Arabia.
Pre-departure training and qualification: We agreed on the importance of strengthening training and qualification programmes to better prepare Kenyan workers for their assignments, workplace expectations and cultural environment in Gulf countries.
Improved remuneration: We emphasised the need for better and more competitive remuneration packages for Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia.
Recruitment costs for domestic workers: We signed a letter of intent providing for a THREE-MONTH PILOT on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers, based on market cost competitiveness and arrangements that allow Kenya to remain competitive with neighbouring and competing labour-sending countries.
Expanded employment opportunities: We explored ways of opening up more opportunities for Kenyans across different sectors, with improved employment packages and better recruitment standards.
An important outcome of our engagement was the signing of a technical annex to the bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers, originally signed between Kenya and Saudi Arabia on 5th July 2026.
This is a significant step in strengthening our partnership and improving the regulatory and technical framework governing the recruitment and employment of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
The annex provides for streamlined recruitment procedures, reduced recruitment costs and the adoption of integrated and advanced technical processes. It also seeks to ensure that recruitment and employment are conducted in accordance with approved regulations, while safeguarding the rights of both employers and domestic workers.
Importantly, the framework will strengthen the regulation of contractual relationships, promote awareness of contractual rights and obligations, improve the quality of recruitment services and enhance the efficiency of the entire recruitment process.
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