UNITED NATION’S LARGEST OFFICE IN AFRICA TO UNDERGOING EXPANSION

United Nation’s largest office in Africa set for further expansion after a successful feasibility studies.

The office which is located in Gigiri, Nairobi is expected to undergo a US $70m face-lift which is in line with the environmental regulations so as to increase accommodation of staff and also ease accessibility for people with disabilities.

The structure which has hosted diplomats for the last three decades in Gigiri is expected to be upgraded and a proposal has already been submitted to the UN General Assembly by Secretary-General António Guterres.

A feasibility studies was carried out on the project that reviewed the ability of the structures at the Gigiri Complex to withstand earthquakes as well as meet environmental needs and the economic use of available space on the 143-acre piece of land that hosts the largest UN office in Africa.

The project will help Kenya keep hold of the UN centre, having initially wrangled with key Western countries on whether to relocate some of the offices to Europe.

The UN complex in Gigiri also houses ‘green’ building, a completely energy and carbon-neutral building, housing UNEP and UN-Habitat offices which help to recycling water and using natural light to reduce reliance on artificial lighting.

The US $70m project is approximated to run for the next seven years and the expansion will commence early 2018 and run to the end of 2024, uplifting blocks A-J of the UN Offices in Nairobi.

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