Behind the high-security gates in Nairobi's Gigiri neighbourhood sits one of the world's most important United Nations hubs.
Spread across 140 acres, the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) hosts nearly 6,000 employees, 88 UN offices and staff drawn from different nationalities, making it the largest UN compound in the world.
Unlike other UN duty stations that specialise in specific mandates, the Nairobi office brings together agencies working on climate change, urbanisation, humanitarian affairs, sustainable development, peace support and peace operations.
Its story dates back more than five decades, when Kenya's founding President Jomo Kenyatta donated 100 acres of land to the United Nations. Former President Daniel arap Moi later added another 40 acres, creating what has since become the organisation's largest compound globally.
Speaking on NTV, UNON's Director General Zainab Bangura says that decision has become one of Kenya's greatest diplomatic assets, positioning Nairobi as a strategic hub capable of supporting UN operations across multiple continents.
"Nairobi is the only duty station within a 12-hour period that can reach anywhere in the world because of its geographical location," she said.
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From the Gigiri headquarters, the UN provides services to operations in 166 countries, stretching from Africa to Asia and the Pacific.
According to the DG, cost has also played a significant role in the growth of Nairobi's office.
"When organisations looked at the cost of operating in New York and Geneva, they realised it was better and easier for them to work from Nairobi," Bangura said.
She said the shared campus enables agencies to reduce spending on rent, security and administrative services while benefiting from Kenya's relatively lower operating costs, favourable climate and shared infrastructure.
From initially hosting the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the compound has expanded to accommodate 88 UN offices.
The expansion has also created employment opportunities for Kenyans.
Nearly 60 per cent of UN employees in Nairobi are Kenyan, according to Bangura, making the city an important gateway for local professionals seeking careers across the wider UN system.
Beyond professional roles, about 500 Kenyans work daily to keep the facility running, maintaining electrical systems, buildings, roads and landscaped grounds.
Construction projects within the compound have also created hundreds of additional jobs, while hotels, transport providers, hospitals and schools continue to benefit from the thousands of UN staff and international delegates who pass through Nairobi each year.
The recent decision by several UN agencies to relocate more operations to Nairobi has renewed attention on the city's growing role within the UN system, with some speculating that Nairobi could one day rival New York or Geneva as the organisation's primary headquarters.
However, according to Bangura, that is not the goal. Instead, she sees Nairobi becoming an important diplomatic and conference hub, particularly as the world's development, climate and humanitarian challenges continue to centre on Africa.