UN picks Kenya for global expansion with three new offices
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi with a UN delegation led by Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, during a consultative meeting on deepening Kenya’s collaboration with the United Nations.
Kenya's international stature is set to rise with the United Nations announcement to establish three new global offices in Nairobi by December 2026.
Once complete, the addition two new offices with bring to five key UN offices in Kenya after the current the UN Environment Program and the UN Human Settlements Program global centres.
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In a statement, Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said the two offices will host the UN Children's Fund, the UN Population Fund, and the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Mr. Mudavadi made the announcement following high-level talks with Philemon Yang, president of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, during Yang's visit to Nairobi.
He added that the three new offices are poised to enhance the UN's activities, while reinforcing Kenya's leadership in regional and global affairs since joining the international organization on Dec. 16, 1963.
UN's Yang lauded authorities in Nairobi for supporting the global body's presence in the East African region.
At the same time, Zainab Hawa Bangura, director-general of the UN Office at Nairobi, acknowledged Kenya's role in supporting the expansion of UN operations in the region, adding that this cooperation has enhanced the realization of mutual benefits between nations.
In particular, Bangura cited Nairobi's fast growth as a UN duty station, stating "We have 86 UN offices in Kenya, with 73 in Gigiri, Nairobi. When the UNEP was set up, we had only 300 staff. Now we are boasting of 6,500 staff and 11,000 families and dependents."
She added that the UN would invest $340 million dollars to upgrade infrastructure in Nairobi, including the construction of an Assembly Hall -- the first built by the UN General Assembly since 1949.
