The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has rejected claims that political influence played a role in granting Host Country Status to the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), insisting that the process followed all legal and procedural requirements.
In a statement, Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing’oei said the approval was carried out transparently under the Privileges and Immunities Act (CAP 179), with all relevant institutions consulted before the agreement was finalized.
“The imputation that the Host Country Agreement to the Global Center on Adaptation was granted as a result of external political pressure is without any foundation,” Sing’oei stated.
The GCA, headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, works globally to accelerate climate adaptation solutions and has maintained a regional office in Nairobi. Its new Host Country Agreement, he said, aligns with Kenya’s climate diplomacy and green growth agenda.
According to the ministry, GCA formally applied for host status on July 27, 2023. The process was completed on April 20, 2025, when Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS signed Legal Notice No. 82, officially granting privileges and immunities to the organisation and its international staff. Parliament later ratified the decision on September 30 after public participation and stakeholder hearings.
Sing’oei clarified that the privileges accorded to GCA mirror those extended to over 170 other international and non-governmental organisations operating in Kenya since 1984, including Oxfam, Save the Children, WWF, and the Lutheran World Federation. These cover tax exemptions for official goods, limited legal immunity, and work permits for expatriate staff.
Construction of GCA’s new Sh1.7 billion African headquarters began in July at the Kenya School of Government, presided over by President William Ruto. The three-storey complex, to be completed within two years, will feature research facilities, restaurants, and the Ministry of Environment’s new home, Mazingira House—entirely funded by the international body.
