President William Ruto and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday, May 11, broke ground for the construction of the expanded United Nations Office at Nairobi Assembly Hall in Gigiri and also inaugurated a new United Nations office block.
In a statement after the event, Ruto said the project reflected the UN’s commitment to global inclusivity and geographical representation.
"The modernisation and expansion of the United Nations Office at Nairobi is a powerful expression of inclusivity, geographical balance and the universality of the United Nations system," he said.
Ruto said the expansion of the UN complex would also be matched by significant investments by the Kenyan government in surrounding infrastructure.
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"To complement the modernisation of the UN campus, we are investing $1.1 billion in complementary support for Nairobi’s infrastructure upgrade, including roads, street lighting, regeneration of the Nairobi Rivers, ICT systems security, and the operationalisation of the UN One-Stop Shop," he added.
Further, Ruto said the latest investment further cements Nairobi’s place within the international diplomatic system.
"This investment affirms Nairobi’s role as the UN’s headquarters in the Global South, a centre of international diplomacy, and a symbol of international cooperation," he concluded.
Elsewhere, Ruto has announced that Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire will deepen diplomatic ties following talks with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara at State House, Nairobi.
In a statement after the meeting on Sunday, May 10, Ruto said the two governments had agreed to establish an embassy in Nairobi.
"Our decision to open an embassy and send the first-ever Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire reflects our shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations and expanding Kenya’s diplomatic presence in West Africa," he said.
Ruto also welcomed Ouattara’s commitment to strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s representation in Kenya by sending an ambassador to Nairobi.
"I appreciated President Outarra's pledge to send an ambassador to Nairobi. Our focus is to unlock greater opportunities in trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges for the mutual benefit of our citizens," he added.
The two leaders also discussed cooperation at the multilateral level, with Kenya seeking support for international judicial candidate, Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u.
"At the multilateral level, we agreed to advance our cooperation. I sought President Ouattara’s support for Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u in her candidature for the position of Judge of the International Criminal Court," he concluded.
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