Govt seeks to connect more Kenyans to jobs in Qatar as talks resume

Kenya is striving to deepen its connection between Kenyan citizens and job opportunities in Qatar, building upon their growing relationship. During their inaugural bilateral political consultations, the two nations agreed to institutionalize annual discussions to facilitate political coordination. Topics encompassed trade, investment, labor, agriculture, aviation, tourism, education, youth, sports, and climate action.

Qatar expressed interest in expanding cooperation across the economy, energy, education, labor, and aviation sectors. The immediate concern for many Kenyans is employment, with over 70,000 Kenyans already residing and working in Qatar, marking its significance in Nairobi's engagement with Doha.

The nations committed to expediting talks on reviewing the 2012 Bilateral Labour Agreement, aiming to enhance employment opportunities for Kenyans in Qatar. Kenya sought to strengthen the framework governing employment for its citizens, while Qatar expressed openness to investing in Kenya's Green Investment Fund, valued at USD 200 million.

This investment would target priority sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, tourism, and Special Economic Zones. Furthermore, discussions focused on addressing restrictions on Kenyan meat exports to Qatar, with technical authorities from both nations to continue consultations toward a mutually beneficial resolution.

In the aviation domain, Kenya welcomed the prospect of strengthened cooperation between Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways, particularly in terms of passenger connectivity and cargo opportunities. This new framework builds on the longstanding diplomatic ties between Kenya and Qatar, which have existed since 2003, covering various sectors such as trade, investment, labor, agriculture, transport, and tourism.

The annual consultations are expected to provide a more predictable mechanism for resolving outstanding issues and identifying new areas of collaboration. Kenya and Qatar have agreed to hold the second round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Nairobi in 2027.