The United States will withdraw from UNESCO in 2026, and UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women are scheduled to relocate their headquarters to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
This is not just a cost-saving exercise, but also a recognition of Africa, as Nairobi is one of the four cities, along with New York, Geneva, and Vienna, to host multiple UN agencies. It’s also big news for business travel to Africa.
The decision is part of the UN’s broader “UN@80” reform strategy, aimed at modernizing operations, reducing costs, and bringing decision-making closer to the communities it serves. According to Secretary-General António Guterres, the relocation will significantly cut operating expenses, given the high costs associated with New York and Geneva, and help rebalance institutional power toward regions most affected by UN programs.
Africa now accounts for more than 60% of UN humanitarian activities, and discussions are underway to also relocate parts of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to the continent.
800 new international staff and their families will have to relocate to Kenya. This will inject new life into Kenya’s economy through housing, education, and service industries. Additionally, UN staff are known to be coffee enthusiasts, and the coffee in Kenya is particularly exceptional.
