NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 12 – The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has clarified reports surrounding the granting of Host Country Status to the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with a regional office in Nairobi.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, emphasized that the decision to accord GCA diplomatic privileges and immunities followed due process and was anchored in Kenya’s established legal framework governing international organizations operating within the country.
“The imputation that the Host Country Agreement with the Global Centre on Adaptation was granted as a result of external political pressure is without foundation,” said PS Sing’Oei.
He explained that the Ministry, acting under the Privileges and Immunities Act (CAP 179, Laws of Kenya), is mandated to negotiate and conclude Host Country Agreements with intergovernmental organizations and external agencies, as well as to administer diplomatic privileges and immunities.
According to the Ministry, GCA formally submitted its request for Host Country Status on 27 July 2023, seeking to establish its regional office in Nairobi to support climate diplomacy and advance the green growth agenda.
The review of the application culminated on 20 April 2025, when the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary signed Legal Notice No. 82, officially granting privileges and immunities to GCA and its internationally recruited staff.
Subsequently, on 30 September 2025, Parliament ratified the decision after the matter underwent stakeholder consultations and public participation, in accordance with Section 17 of the Privileges and Immunities Act.
PS Sing’Oei emphasized that the privileges conferred upon GCA are standard and consistent with those extended to over 170 non-state entities that have operated in Kenya since 1984.
Among these organizations are Oxfam, Save the Children, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the International Cooperative Alliance, the Centre for African Family Studies, and the Lutheran World Federation.
“These privileges include tax exemptions on specific goods necessary for the organization’s operations, protection from legal action for acts carried out in good faith, and the issuance of work permits,” the statement read.
The Nairobi office of GCA is one of its key regional hubs, alongside offices in Abidjan and Dhaka. It focuses on accelerating climate adaptation solutions across Africa. The Centre partners with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union to implement the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP)—a flagship initiative supporting climate-resilient development.
The Ministry stated that GCA’s presence in Nairobi aligns with Kenya’s growing leadership in climate diplomacy, following the success of the Africa Climate Summit 2023, hosted by President William Ruto in Nairobi.
“The establishment of GCA’s regional office in Nairobi is a vote of confidence in Kenya’s role as a hub for continental and global climate action,” PS Sing’Oei added.
This clarification comes amid recent speculation suggesting that the Host Country Agreement with GCA may have been influenced by external political interests.
The Ministry reiterated that the process strictly followed legal procedures, including Cabinet approval, publication of a legal notice, and parliamentary ratification.
“Our engagement with international organizations is guided solely by Kenya’s national interests and the principles of international law,” the Ministry affirmed.
Founded in 2018, the Global Centre on Adaptation works with governments, multilateral institutions, and the private sector to scale up adaptation efforts in vulnerable regions impacted by climate change.
