Kenyans accompanying government officials on assignments in the United States will henceforth gain formal employment opportunities following a new agreement signed between Kenya and the U.S.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The Employment of Dependents of Official Employees agreement was signed in Nairobi on Monday, September 7, during talks between Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia.

The arrangement will allow eligible dependents of Kenyan and U.S. government employees posted to the other country to seek employment while accompanying their relatives on official assignments.

This means eligible spouses and other qualifying dependants of both Kenyan and U.S officials serving in either of the countries could potentially work in the American labour market.

📌 What You Need to Know

The agreement is expected to address a major challenge faced by families accompanying government officials on foreign postings , where dependants may previously have been unable to get employed.

However, the agreement is not a general work programme for all Kenyans seeking employment in the U.S. as it only targets eligible dependants of government officials.

During the meeting, Mudavadi said the partnership should translate into tangible benefits for citizens, including jobs, investment, improved healthcare and greater security.

"The Kenya-United States partnership matters most when it translates into jobs, investment, better healthcare and greater security for our people," said Mudavadi.

"This shaped my engagement with Mr Frank Garcia, United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, during his official visit to Kenya," he added.

The talks also focused on expanding trade and investment, building on the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 2028 and ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke