Saudi Arabia and Kenya have strengthened bilateral cooperation in the labor sector by signing an agreement to regulate the recruitment of domestic workers from Kenya to the Kingdom.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony in Riyadh by Dr. Abdullah Abuthnain, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, on behalf of Saudi Arabia, and Dr. Alfred Mutua, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection.
The signing ceremony was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
The event took place on the sidelines of the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-Kenyan Political Consultations Committee, reflecting ongoing engagement between the two countries across a range of bilateral issues, including labor and workforce cooperation.
Regulated recruitment framework
The agreement establishes mechanisms to regulate the recruitment of domestic workers from Kenya to Saudi Arabia through a structured and coordinated framework.
It supports an organized recruitment process by defining the procedures governing the employment of domestic workers and strengthening cooperation between the relevant authorities in both countries.
The framework also seeks to safeguard the rights of both employers and domestic workers by regulating the contractual relationship between the two parties. The cooperative framework also facilitates recruitment procedures while promoting compliance with the applicable labor regulations and agreed standards.
Strengthening bilateral labor cooperation
According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the agreement modernizes and strengthens the framework for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Kenya in the recruitment of domestic workers.
The ministry said that the agreement reflects the two countries’ shared commitment to enhancing coordination in labor mobility and establishing clear mechanisms for recruitment.
The framework supports effective implementation of recruitment procedures while improving institutional cooperation between the relevant authorities.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts by Saudi Arabia to strengthen international partnerships in the labor sector and develop regulated recruitment frameworks with partner countries to facilitate the movement of workers under mutually agreed procedures.
