Kenya's President William Ruto defends Germany migration deal over brain drain fears | DW News

Kenyan President William Ruto has defended the migration deal he signed on Friday with Germany, in the face of concerns that it could rob his country of needed skilled workers.

Speaking in an interview with DW during his visit, Ruto called the deal a win-win, saying that Kenya's demographics meant that it had hundreds of thousands of young people in need of employment opportunities.

Germany and Kenya signed an agreement on Friday in Berlin seeking to allow more skilled workers from the east African country to live and work in the biggest EU economy.

The labor and migration deal will also help to facilitate the repatriation of Kenyans who do not have the right to stay in Germany.

With an aging and shrinking workforce, experts say Germany needs about 400,000 skilled immigrants each year.

Ruto also defended his handling of the protests against his now abandoned tax increases earlier this year.

He said that much of the demonstrations that later escalated into riots calling for his resignation, were "fuelled by fake news."

At least 22 people were killed in the course of the months-long demonstrations that saw the parliament building also breached and ransacked.

Kenya's debt situation, as well as balancing relations with China and the West were also on the interview agenda.

00:00 Ruto on his visit to Germany
00:45 Ruto: 'Global challenges' make international cooperation vital
01:47 Kenya's balancing act between the West and China
04:51 Benefits of the Kenya-Germany migration deal
06:00 Ruto: Opportunities for young Kenyans vital
07:00 Ruto defends frequent travel
08:40 Ruto: Deals require mutual understanding
09:25 The sustainability of Kenya's debt situation
12:45 Ruto's handling of the finance bill protests
15:35 Ruto: Protests fuelled by fake news
17:05 Reforms of the African Union

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Please note: The employment quotas highlighted by President Ruto in this interview have later been refuted by the German government, with the Federal Ministry of the Interior clarifying that these numbers are non-binding and referring to the stipulations of the German Skilled Immigration Act.

[sly]

I AM A KENYAN If RUTO is not flying, he is lying and in this instance, he has done both.

[sammathenge]

This is a smooth talking conman, even the interviewer can see through him.

[violaonyango]

He doesn't care that people died. See how he danced around the question. We are not happy with you Mr. President

[mashamambea]

I'm Kenyan and i hate this man i cannot stand to even watch him talk sorry DW i will pass on this video

[kitwanaabraham]

I don't mean to be disrespectful on an African head of state, but whenever I listen to Ruto speak, I hear a well-trained parrot.

[mambofornasa]

Germany just refuted that their is no figure like 250, 000 jobs for Kenyans! Nabii has been lying all through...

[lionrulethejunglewithoutfe]

Ruto is the worst thing that ever happen to Kenya.

[az]

Kenyans don’t want to be transported to any foreign country, Kenyans wants you to stop destroying Kenya and selling the Country’s resources to foreign countries, they also want you to resign and let a capable person lead this country.

[vt-knqf]

The International professional liar from kenya

[xtugzfm]

Ruto lies ALL THE TIME

And all the time, RUTO LIES!

[Canyiva]

Kenyans, where do we hide for a while after this embarrassment? A whole president of a sovereign nation facilitating brain drain and sitting for an interview to tout it as a good thing. 😮😮

[HUMPHREYLamar]

Kenyans, vote this man out. Kenya is turning into banana republic... Very mouthy with very little to offer.

[kenyuri]

The moment he says "for your information" just know there is no information there...

[abduljalilbashir]

The eloquency that we fall for.

Dear viewers, we hate our president from the bottom of our heart.

[Vydez]

Ruto is the kind of man who'll welcome you to his house, offer you food and leave you feeling appreciated only to later have stomach pains and realised you have been poisoned. If you ask him why he'll tell you it's just business, people die everyday.

[Ratinevo]

This man has lied throughout the interview, there’s no ounce of honesty in him.

[AmieDibba]

I love how she is pushing for answers. She is well informed. This is what we need. Well done 🇬🇲

[smartlifefun]

this guy has damaged kenyas intenational image, we will have visa problems in future, tumeisha kabisa

[Magdalene_]

He is a very hard man to interview because he skirts around questions and the truth, answers his own questions, regurgitates the same answers on jobs created from affordable housing (unfounded), and the blantant lies.. but the interviewer did a good job bringing him back to the questions and standing her ground in that short duration. He, however, remains a disappointing product of our beautiful country, Kenya. May we recover from his destructive leadership.