Kenya has announced it was dropping visa requirements for Djibouti thanks to talks between the leaders of the two countries ahead of the 14th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc of 7 member states in the Horn.
According to a statement by Kenya state house, President William Ruto of Kenya met with his Djibouti counterpart Omar Ismael Guelleh in Djibouti city on Sunday.
“To promote people-to-people interactions, trade, and investment, I am firmly committed to eliminating the barriers imposed by visa requirements for Djiboutian citizens traveling to Kenya,” Dr Ruto said at a joint press briefing with his host. “Therefore, Kenya has concluded necessary procedures to enable visa-free visits for citizens of Djibouti to Kenya.”
This agreement will strengthen exchanges and partnerships between our two countries, promote sustainable tourism development, and enhance our tourism assets.
To ensure that the two nations benefit from a mutual standpoint of gaining a skilled workforce, President Ruto said that Kenya will have labour agreements with Djibouti to improve coordination on labor migration.
“In this regard, I express my gratitude to my esteemed counterpart for hosting over 600 Kenyan professionals in Djibouti. To facilitate this process, we have established a Joint Technical Committee dedicated to these efforts,” he said.
Djibouti will also provide personnel to Kenyan training institutions to train students in learning the French language.
“Additionally, we engaged in discussions regarding support for English language training and its integration into Djibouti’s curricula. Kenya is fully prepared to provide support and necessary teachers to assist in this endeavor,” he said.
“Conversely, to enhance the language proficiency of Kenyan graduates who seek employment abroad, Kenyan Technical and Vocational Education Training institutions, as well as medical training colleges, will benefit from the inclusion of French language trainees from Djibouti.”
