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STORY: NAIROBI / GUTERRES VISIT
TRT: 07:21
SOURCE: UNEP/ UNIC NAIROBI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 MAY 2026, UNITED NATIONS OFFICE IN NAIROBI (UNON), NAIROBI, KENYA
SHOTLIST:
1. Various shots, exterior, new UNON Campus development
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Zainab Bangura, Director-General, United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON):
“We are deeply honoured to welcome you to the United Nations Office of Nairobi for this historic moment. The groundbreaking of the conference facilities, projects, assembly hall, and inauguration of our new office blocks here at the UN Gigiri complex.”
3. Various shots, UNON Campus, Avenue of Flags
4. Various shots, arrivals
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“What has been achieved here is not just buildings, it's a blueprint for the future.”
6. Wide shot, Secretary-General António Guterres and Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Assembly Hall and inauguration of new office buildings are symbols of our collective ambition and the reaffirmation of the central role that Africa and Kenya in particular, play in the life and future of the United Nations.”
8. Various shots, participants
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And all of this comes as a time of transformation for our organization. As remarks, diversity of United Nations. We are reimagining how we work, how we deliver, how we lead, and we do so recognizing the role of this great continent. Africa is a driver of solutions, a sourced of innovation, and a voice of moral clarity in our shared pursuit of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.”
10. Various shots, arrival of William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya
11. Various shots, Guterres and President Ruto in bilateral meeting
12. SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Republic of Kenya:
“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.”
13. Wide shot, high level dignitaries turning soil in UNON Groundbreaking ceremony
14. Med shot, delegates applauding
15. SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Republic of Kenya:
“This is particularly important at a time when multilateralism is under considerable strain from geopolitical fragmentation, growing mistrust, fiscal pressures, and widening global inequalities. In this context, the United Nations office at Nairobi stands as a powerful expression of inclusivity, geographical balance, and the universality of the UN system.”
16. Various shots, ceremony of unveiling of the Plaque
17. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Africa is a driver of solutions, a source of innovation, and the voice of moral clarity in our shared pursuit of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.”
18. Various shots, Guterres, Mohammed and Bangura tour the grounds at UNON
16. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“This is also why the expansion of UNON and the growing presence of UN entities here in Nairobi matters so much. It reflects our commitment to bringing the United Nations closer to the people and regions it serves.”
17. Wide shot, Guterres walks away from the podium
18. Various shots, UNON Roundabout with KaribUNI (welcome) sign and groundbreaking ceremony tent
The United Nations on Monday today (11 May) broke ground on a major expansion of its Nairobi headquarters, with Secretary-General António Guterres and Kenya’s President William Ruto marking what officials described as a milestone in the Organization’s history and a signal of Africa’s rising importance in global affairs.
The ceremony at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) — attended by the Deputy Secretary-General and senior UN leadership — included the inauguration of new office buildings and the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art conference facility that will significantly expand the UN’s footprint in Africa.
SOUNDBITE (English) Zainab Bangura, Director-General, United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON):
“We are deeply honoured to welcome you to the United Nations Office of Nairobi for this historic moment. The groundbreaking of the conference facilities, projects, assembly hall, and inauguration of our new office blocks here at the UN Gigiri complex.”
Approved by the General Assembly, the USD 340 million investment is the largest undertaken by the UN Secretariat in Africa in its 80 years of existence. The investment is expected to transform Nairobi into one of the Organization’s leading global conference hubs.
SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“What has been achieved here is not just buildings, it's a blueprint for the future.”
“The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Assembly Hall and inauguration of new office buildings are symbols of our collective ambition and the reaffirmation of the central role that Africa and Kenya in particular, play in the life and future of the United Nations.”
“And all of this comes as a time of transformation for our organization. As remarks, diversity of United Nations. We are reimagining how we work, how we deliver, how we lead, and we do so recognizing the role of this great continent. Africa is a driver of solutions, a sourced of innovation, and a voice of moral clarity in our shared pursuit of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.”
The project will increase conference capacity at UNON from 2,000 to 9,000 participants, including the construction of a new Assembly Hall, positioning Nairobi alongside New York and Geneva as a key centre for multilateral diplomacy.
The development reflects a broader shift within the United Nations to bring its operations closer to the regions most affected by global challenges.
SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Republic of Kenya:
“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.”
“This is particularly important at a time when multilateralism is under considerable strain from geopolitical fragmentation, growing mistrust, fiscal pressures, and widening global inequalities. In this context, the United Nations office at Nairobi stands as a powerful expression of inclusivity, geographical balance, and the universality of the UN system.”
From its origins in the 1970s as the home of UNEP and UN-Habitat, UNON has grown into a major global hub supporting operations across more than 160 countries.
SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“This is also why the expansion of UNON and the growing presence of UN entities here in Nairobi matters so much. It reflects our commitment to bringing the United Nations closer to the people and regions it serves.”
The newly inaugurated office buildings are designed as net-zero facilities powered by solar energy, while the expanded conference complex is expected to bring the campus closer to energy neutrality by 2030. Officials say the project also includes the planting of thousands of indigenous trees and improved accessibility, aligning with the UN’s broader sustainability goals.
Monday’s ceremony marked not only the start of construction, but also what UN officials described as a new phase in the Organization’s engagement with Africa. With the expansion now underway, the UN expects Nairobi to play an increasingly central role in hosting global negotiations and advancing international cooperation in the years ahead.
