NITED Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Kenyan President William Ruto on Monday launched a US$340-million expansion project at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
The two leaders presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of conference facilities and the inauguration of ultra-modern and climate-resilient office blocks, cementing Nairobi’s status as a diplomatic hub in the Global South.
Approved by the General Assembly, the UNON expansion project focuses on the construction of new green office blocks for $66.2 million and the upgrading of conference facilities at a cost of $265.7 million, increasing the number of meeting rooms from 14 to 30 and seating capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 delegates.
Once completed by 2029, the expansion project will position Nairobi as the third-largest UN global hub after New York and Geneva, with Vienna retaining the fourth position.
Ruto said the expansion of UN offices in Nairobi aligns with Kenya’s commitment to multilateral efforts aimed at modernizing the global body and enhancing its capacity to address challenges facing humanity.
“As the only UN headquarters in the Global South, Nairobi stands as a powerful symbol that the United Nations truly belongs to all the peoples of the world and reflects the shared aspirations of humanity,” Ruto said.
More than 70 UN agencies, funds, and programmes are hosted at UNON alongside over 6,000 staff members. — Xinhua