NAIROBI, Kenya-Nairobi is set to strengthen its position as a major centre for global environmental diplomacy after the launch of an expansion of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) complex in Gigiri.
The project, launched with President William Ruto and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, includes the groundbreaking of an expanded Assembly Hall and the inauguration of new office buildings within the UN campus.
Once completed by 2029, the upgraded facility is expected to increase conference capacity from about 2,000 delegates to 9,000, significantly expanding the city’s ability to host large-scale international meetings, particularly on climate change and sustainable development.
The United Nations Office at Nairobi is already one of the UN’s four major global duty stations and the only one based in the Global South.
It hosts the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat, both central to global environmental and urban policy.
UN officials say the expansion is designed to modernise infrastructure and respond to growing demand for multilateral negotiations held in Nairobi, especially on environmental issues.
President Ruto said the development would enhance Kenya’s role in global diplomacy and strengthen Nairobi’s status as a key conferencing destination.
The new facilities are also expected to feature sustainable and energy-efficient design, in line with the UN’s climate targets and the environmental mandate of agencies based in Nairobi.
Diplomatic representatives have previously described Nairobi as an emerging “environmental capital” due to its hosting of key UN agencies and its growing role in climate-related negotiations.
The expansion comes as the UN seeks to decentralise aspects of global governance and bring more decision-making platforms closer to the Global South.
Analysts say the increased capacity could allow Nairobi to host more high-level international summits that have traditionally been held in cities such as New York, Geneva and Paris.
Once complete, the upgraded UNON campus is expected to further cement Nairobi’s position as a leading global hub for environmental diplomacy and multilateral engagement.
