Kenya is set to host United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on May 11, 2026, for a high-profile engagement that will see him team up with President William Ruto at the United Nations Office in Nairobi during the launch of a major development project at the Gigiri complex.
The visit will centre on the official commencement and groundbreaking of an extensive upgrade of the UN compound, as part of a USD 340 million (Sh44.2 billion) programme aimed at expanding and modernising facilities at the Nairobi base.
The United Nations Office at Nairobi remains the only UN headquarters in the Global South, and the upgrade is expected to further strengthen its role as a key centre for global decision-making.
Following the joint ceremony, Guterres is scheduled to speak to the media at a press briefing inside the UNON compound.
The development plan includes the construction of new environmentally sustainable office blocks valued at USD 66.2 million (Sh8.6 billion), alongside upgraded conference facilities worth USD 265.7 million (Sh34.5 billion).
Once completed, the project will more than double the number of meeting rooms from 14 to 30 and expand capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 delegates. This will elevate Nairobi to the third-largest UN station worldwide, behind New York and Geneva and ahead of Vienna.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also contributed USD 11.2 million (Sh1.6 billion) towards additional office space within the same compound.
Guterres is expected to use his Nairobi address to reflect on shifting global influence, with a focus on Africa’s growing participation in international governance structures.
He is also expected to renew his push for reforms within the United Nations Security Council, including long-standing calls for permanent African representation.
His remarks are likely to cover ongoing humanitarian emergencies in Sudan, South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the wider Sahel region.
He is further expected to touch on the impact of the Middle East conflict on African economies, especially food systems, as well as broader concerns over global debt and high borrowing costs affecting developing nations.
The United Nations has described the expansion as part of a wider effort to bring global governance closer to regions most affected by international challenges.
“This investment reflects a deliberate shift to strengthen Nairobi as a global centre for multilateral engagement and sustainable development,” the UN said.