Kenya has appreciated United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for picking Nairobi as its headquarters for Africa.
President William Ruto, in a meeting with UNOPS Chief Jorge Moreira, appreciated UNOPS for picking Nairobi as its HQs for Africa and further assured that Kenya will continue to provide a conducive space for both investors and development organizations.
“Kenya will continue to provide a conducive environment, not only for investments but also for development organisations.” President Ruto said.
Adding that: “We eagerly anticipate working with the organisation on sustainable development projects across Kenya. We hope UNOPS will enjoy the exceptional value of Kenyan skills in the UN ecosystem.”
The two leaders were speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA.
UNOPS has had its Africa Regional Office housed under the same roof of its global headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark.
It acts as a project implementer for other UN agencies or programmes and charges them a fee for providing infrastructure, procuring supplies and managing UN projects especially those aligned to SDGs.
According to the East African, in May 2023 when the UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva, visited Nairobi, he said the regional office is moving closer to where it is needed.
“This move will reinforce our capacity to support our partners in Africa to ensure our work effectively reduces inequalities, builds sustainability and supports African countries in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts,” he said according to a statement from his office.
UNOPS was established in 1973 as part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) but it separated in 1995 to focus on independent operations where it provides services to the UN system at a fee.
