The United Nations (UN) has addressed reports regarding the potential relocation of some of its key agencies from New York City, including UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN-Women, to Nairobi, Kenya.
Responding to questions from reporters on Friday, August 1, 2025, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq clarified that the relocation decision is not yet final.
“It’s not a sure thing. There are certain options being considered to make the United Nations more cost-effective,” Haq explained.
UN Says Relocation Decision is Not Yet Final
According to him, various proposals are under discussion at different levels, including consultations with staff members, the executive boards of the respective agencies, and other stakeholders.
“We are still in the early stages. One of the steps being considered is moving more UN operations into the field and into locations with lower operational costs. This is something the relevant agencies will be exploring,” he added.
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Earlier this year, on February 19, 2025, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced that Kenya is poised to host three new global UN offices by the end of 2026, positioning Nairobi as a key UN operations hub.
Mudavadi revealed that the UN plans to establish offices for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) in Nairobi.
During a consultative meeting held at his office with Philemon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Mudavadi emphasized Kenya’s strategic advantage as a regional logistics and financial center.
He noted that this positioning supports the UN’s multilateral diplomacy and advances key global and regional priorities.
“Kenya is working closely with the UN and is committed to making Nairobi a critical hub for UN operations, not only locally but also regionally and globally,” he stated.
Rwanda Expresses Interest in Hosting UN Offices
Mudavadi added that Kenya will build on the UN’s existing presence in the country, as well as its growing role in the Horn of Africa, East, and Central Africa sub-regions.
Currently, Nairobi already hosts the global headquarters of two major UN agencies — the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat.
Also Read: Rwanda Bids to Host UN Agencies, Challenging Nairobi’s Dominance in Africa
Meanwhile, Rwanda has also expressed interest in hosting UN offices. On May 19, 2025, the Rwandan government formally announced its bid to host UN agencies, programs, and functions as part of the UN80 Initiative, aimed at decentralizing and modernizing UN operations.
In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Rwandan Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente expressed Rwanda’s readiness to serve as a reliable and committed partner in the evolving structure of the UN.
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