The construction of the world’s second Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) dual headquarters in Nairobi has commenced marking a major step in climate resilience efforts across Africa.
President William Ruto presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sh1.7 billion project at the Kenya School of Government (KSG).
The three-storey facility will comprise, among others, a research hub, restaurants and will also house Mazingira House, the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment.
It is set for completion within two years with the funds for its construction entirely coming from the international body.
Speaking during the event, Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s long-term commitment to supporting the initiative, highlighting its strategic importance.
“We shall work closely with the GCA to align national policies and facilitate inter-agency collaboration,” he said.
He said the centre will be a regional hub for adaptation innovation, public service training, climate governance and policy support.
Its establishment, Ruto stated, is timely, strategic, and visionary.
He said it will serve as a regional platform for policy dialogue, cutting-edge research, and capacity-building to accelerate climate adaptation at all levels of governance.
The Head of State stated that the hub will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and development actors to design and deliver practical, scalable solutions.
“Most importantly, it will help strengthen institutional resilience, particularly at the devolved levels, through specialised training and technical assistance.”
Through this collaboration, we aim to place climate adaptation at the heart of public service training, performance management, and leadership development.
“This will ultimately support institutional reengineering for climate-responsive governance."
Present during the event were Global Centre for Adaptation President Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, ex-Senegalese President and Supervisory Chair of the Global Centre on Adaptation, Macky Sall and ex-UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Ruto also used the opportunity to urge government partners to embrace the opportunities presented by this centre.
“Let us work together to embed climate resilience into our operational plans, policies, and development frameworks to strengthen climate-smart planning and service delivery,” he stated.
He further called on development partners and the private sector to collaborate with the centre in scaling innovation, sharing knowledge, and creating solutions that serve not just Kenya but the region.
The construction of the facility underscores the North-South partnership for the principal international organization dedicated to building resilience to climate change.
GCA unveiled the decision to inaugurate the new headquarters in Nairobi, during its Board Meeting hosted by Ruto in April this year.
During the meeting, Ruto stated that Africa faced serious risks without a strong Global Center and the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the GCA’s flagship programme.
“We face security risks, forced migration, health challenges, job losses, and macro-economic instability. Risks that Europe and others will not be immune to. But with the Global Center and AAAP, we have been shown it doesn’t have to be this way,” he said.
