African Nations Turn to Labor Export as Economic Strategy

Reuters reported that several African countries including Kenya adopted systematic exporting of workers as their new development strategy after Asian countries led by the Philippines and Bangladesh also used this method. Under Labor Minister Alfred Mutua and following an annual three-year plan Kenya plans to send one million workers overseas.

Through its strategy, the government responds to a workforce problem because only 20% of 1 million new Kenyan workers each year find official jobs. The government runs job fairs at Machakos to connect job seekers with recruiters who place them in health and agricultural field positions in Germany and Denmark respectively. The government aids this movement by assisting in paperwork and also provides bank loans and background support for travel costs.

The employment program has key problems to overcome. Growing opposition to foreign immigrants in German society and Kenyan workforce concerns about healthcare shortages pose risks to the international job program. 

The government optimistically predicts positive economic gain from this program even though authorities see some drawbacks.

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