On 23 and 24 September 2024, the Director General of United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Madam Zainab Hawa Bangura held briefings with Member States from the 5 Regional Groups: Group of African States (AG), Group of Asia-Pacific States (APG), Group of Eastern European States (EEG), Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC), and Group of Western European and other States (WEOG) to provide an update on the GMP.
The design of the GMP aims to establish a minimalist building style that seamlessly and intuitively blends in with the existing buildings and the unique local natural setting, while also creating several new monumental buildings of appropriate overall size, quality and architectural character, which reimagines the UN Gigiri complex as a global headquarters of the United Nations, the only one in the Global South. The design is set to accommodate 9000 in-person conference participants and will include focus on sustainability and accessibility for persons with disabilities.
In addition to increasing the capacity of the existing conference facility, the GMP will serve to:
(a) meet industry norms relating to health and safety issues;
(b) restore and maintain the property value of United Nations premises;
(c) meet industry norms relating to disaster preparedness and design;
(d) ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities to the premises;
(e) ensure the removal of hazardous materials;
(f) improve space usage efficiency, including by providing flexible spaces;
(g) modernize outdated building systems;
(h) make the facility more sustainable by reducing energy and freshwater consumption, minimizing the use of non-renewable material resources and waste generation, and improving atmospheric and indoor air quality; and
(i) maintain business continuity.
The design phase of the Gigiri Master Plan commenced in 2023, with early works scheduled to begin in 2025 and full construction is expected to start in 2026, with completion for 2030. This timeline reflects the careful planning and dedication to quality that the UNON team is committed to achieving. Diplomats expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential to foster dialogue and innovation among member states. Strong interest and engagement from the diplomatic community was evident during the meetings with several Member States expressing interest in providing voluntary or in-kind contributions to the project. As the implementation of the GMP progresses, there is a continued commitment to collaborating closely with member states to ensure this project fulfils its promise of creating a sustainable, accessible, and technologically advanced conference facility at the United Nations Office at Nairobi.
Group of African States (AG)
Group of Eastern European States (EEG)
Group of Western European and other States (WEOG)
Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC)
Group of Asia-Pacific States (APG)