Making Sense of Germany’s Migration Deal with Kenya

“Chancellor’s Scholz’s Germany-Kenya deal fails to address these core issues, and with Kenyan skilled workers favoring English-speaking countries, it may not even alleviate Germany’s skilled labor shortage. Nevertheless, it represents a step in the right direction, as it has German interests at heart.”

Amid crescendoing calls to tighten immigration, it seems paradoxical that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz would strike a migration deal with Kenya, inviting Kenyan workers to come to Germany. As the BBC recently reported, “Immigration is a huge issue in Germany at the moment, following the rise in popularity of the far-right anti-immigration party, Alternative for Germany (AfD).” So, what is the rationale behind Chancellor Scholz’s approach?

Incidents like the recent Islamist knife attack at a city festival in Solingen had centrist politicians bending over backwards to assure voters that they would crack down on “irregular” immigration. Yet most acknowledge that Germany still needs immigration to address its skilled labor shortage. Complicating matters further, deporting migrants without legal status has proven difficult, as many countries of origin are unwilling to take them back.

Chancellor Scholz’s deal with Kenyan President William Ruto aims to address these challenges by allowing controlled, targeted migration. This benefits Kenya as well, as the country faces difficulties in providing employment and adequate income for its young professionals—a problem more pressing than potential concerns about “brain drain.” The agreement will also streamline the process for Germany to repatriate Kenyans residing without legal status. Chancellor Scholz has called it a “win-win situation.”