Kenya has stepped up diplomatic pressure on Saudi Arabia to lift travel restrictions imposed over the Ebola outbreak.
Kenya's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Masila, on Thursday met the Kingdom's Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs, Khalid Hamoud AlKahtani, to discuss the restrictions and their implications for bilateral relations.
“The meeting reviewed the recent travel restrictions imposed on travellers from Kenya and their implications to the two countries,” the Kenya embassy in Riyadh said in a dispatch.
The meeting marks a fresh diplomatic engagement as Nairobi seeks to persuade Riyadh to reverse measures that have disrupted travel between the two countries and raised concerns over the welfare of thousands of Kenyans living and working in the Kingdom.
"The welfare of Kenyans in Saudi Arabia and the issues affecting their stay in the Kingdom remain a priority in the Kenya–Saudi bilateral relations," the embassy said.
The two sides agreed to maintain regular engagement to strengthen relations, particularly on consular issues.
The talks come days after Kenya formally protested Saudi Arabia's decision to suspend travel and arrivals from the country, describing the restrictions as disproportionate and unsupported by scientific evidence.
In a diplomatic note dated October 30, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs argued that Kenya had contained the imported outbreak, with all nine confirmed cases linked to a single cluster and no new infections reported since October 19.
Nairobi also warned that the restrictions would hurt Kenyan pilgrims, migrant workers, students, trade and tourism, while penalising a country that had been transparent in reporting the outbreak to the World Health Organisation.
The ministry asked Riyadh to review and lift the measures, insisting that the available epidemiological evidence did not justify a blanket travel suspension.
On November 2, Kenya escalated its diplomatic response by summoning Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Kenya, Saad Abdullah Al Nofaia, alongside Kuwait's Chargé d'Affaires, Sami Talal Alenezi, over restrictions imposed by the two Gulf countries.
The officials were asked to convey Nairobi's concerns to their respective governments and facilitate technical discussions between the health authorities.
Saudi Arabia announced its restrictions on October 30, suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya, halting visa issuance to Kenyan nationals and barring entry to travellers who had been in Kenya within the preceding 21 days, including those arriving through third countries.
The measures have raised concerns over their impact on the movement of Kenyan workers and other nationals who depend on travel links with the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia hosts a significant number of Kenyan migrant workers, making the dispute particularly sensitive for Nairobi.
Already, more than 350 Kenyan workers were returned to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on November 2, after Saudi Arabia denied them entry due to the Ebola-related travel restrictions.
Kenya's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Masila, on Thursday met the Kingdom's Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs, Khalid Hamoud AlKahtani, to discuss the restrictions and their implications for bilateral relations.
“The meeting reviewed the recent travel restrictions imposed on travellers from Kenya and their implications to the two countries,” the Kenya embassy in Riyadh said in a dispatch.
The meeting marks a fresh diplomatic engagement as Nairobi seeks to persuade Riyadh to reverse measures that have disrupted travel between the two countries and raised concerns over the welfare of thousands of Kenyans living and working in the Kingdom.
"The welfare of Kenyans in Saudi Arabia and the issues affecting their stay in the Kingdom remain a priority in the Kenya–Saudi bilateral relations," the embassy said.
The two sides agreed to maintain regular engagement to strengthen relations, particularly on consular issues.
The talks come days after Kenya formally protested Saudi Arabia's decision to suspend travel and arrivals from the country, describing the restrictions as disproportionate and unsupported by scientific evidence.
In a diplomatic note dated October 30, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs argued that Kenya had contained the imported outbreak, with all nine confirmed cases linked to a single cluster and no new infections reported since October 19.
Nairobi also warned that the restrictions would hurt Kenyan pilgrims, migrant workers, students, trade and tourism, while penalising a country that had been transparent in reporting the outbreak to the World Health Organisation.
The ministry asked Riyadh to review and lift the measures, insisting that the available epidemiological evidence did not justify a blanket travel suspension.
On November 2, Kenya escalated its diplomatic response by summoning Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Kenya, Saad Abdullah Al Nofaia, alongside Kuwait's Chargé d'Affaires, Sami Talal Alenezi, over restrictions imposed by the two Gulf countries.
The officials were asked to convey Nairobi's concerns to their respective governments and facilitate technical discussions between the health authorities.
Saudi Arabia announced its restrictions on October 30, suspending travel by its citizens to Kenya, halting visa issuance to Kenyan nationals and barring entry to travellers who had been in Kenya within the preceding 21 days, including those arriving through third countries.
The measures have raised concerns over their impact on the movement of Kenyan workers and other nationals who depend on travel links with the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia hosts a significant number of Kenyan migrant workers, making the dispute particularly sensitive for Nairobi.
Already, more than 350 Kenyan workers were returned to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on November 2, after Saudi Arabia denied them entry due to the Ebola-related travel restrictions.
