Mudavadi in Saudi Arabia for talks on Kenyan workers, trade, investment

Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also doubles as the Prime Cabinet Secretary, has begun a three-day official visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for high-level political consultations aimed at strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Kenya and the Gulf nation.

The visit, running from July 3 to July 5, forms part of Kenya's diplomatic efforts to deepen political, economic and people-to-people ties with one of its key partners in the Middle East.

According to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, in a statement on Friday, Mudavadi will hold bilateral consultations with senior Saudi government officials on issues of mutual interest, including regional peace and security, international cooperation, labour migration, trade, investment and multilateral collaboration.

A key focus of the talks will be the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, which currently hosts more than 300,000 Kenyans.

"The Prime Cabinet Secretary will advocate for enhanced labour standards, stronger protection of workers' rights, improved dispute resolution mechanisms, ethical recruitment practices, better working conditions and closer cooperation in safeguarding the dignity and welfare of Kenyan nationals employed in the Kingdom," read the statement.

The consultations are also expected to explore ways of expanding economic cooperation by increasing bilateral trade and attracting more Saudi investments into Kenya.

The ministry said that Kenya will seek to improve market access for its premium exports, including tea, cut flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables and other horticultural produce, while also exploring opportunities to diversify exports to the Saudi market.

Other areas of discussion will include agriculture and food security, renewable energy, infrastructure development, tourism, health, education and skills development, the digital economy, logistics, aviation, maritime cooperation, manufacturing and value addition, as well as climate resilience and sustainable development.

The two countries are also expected to review progress under existing bilateral frameworks and identify new areas of cooperation aimed at accelerating economic growth, creating employment opportunities and promoting shared prosperity.

Saudi Arabia remains one of Kenya's key partners in the Middle East, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, labour mobility, development financing and regional diplomacy.

The visit is expected to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries while opening new opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration, in line with Kenya's "active, people-centred and economically driven foreign policy that advances the interests of Kenyans at home and abroad while strengthening Kenya's global partnerships."