President William Ruto has announced that Kenya will be co-hosting the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).

GCA is an international institution on the acceleration of action on climate change, whose headquarters is in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

“Kenya has been given the honour of co-hosting the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), an international institution on acceleration action on climate change. Now, the GCA will have a dual headquarters in Nairobi,” Ruto said.

His statement came after a GCA meeting at the Sagana State Lodge, Nyeri County.

Ruto stated that together with President Macky Sall of Senegal, who is the new chair of the GCA Board, they reaffirmed their commitment to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme.

The President described the programme as a cornerstone initiative for climate resilience and sustainable development.

He thanked development partners, including the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, and the Gates Foundation, for standing firmly with Africa.

“Though Africa is the most affected continent by the climate crisis, it is, however, the cradle of green innovation and provides the world with the best opportunities for mitigating the effects of climate change,” he added.

On September 5, 2023, speaking during the Africa Climate Summit (AACS), Ruto announced that the GCA will have its headquarters in Nairobi.

"I am delighted to announce that as an outcome of this summit today, Kenya will host the GCA Africa Headquarters here in Nairobi," he said.

Then, the head of state said he saw the aspirational design of its global headquarters comprising green walls, roofs and rain gardens, to the collaborative culture of its staff.

"Unsurprisingly, the centre is intended to inspire the world to thrive with nature instead of pursuing the dangerous course of seeking to thrive at nature's expense," Ruto said.

In February 2024, University of Nairobi Chancellor Patrick Verkooijen, who is also the GCA’s CEO, shared the motivation behind choosing Nairobi as the location for the regional headquarters.

Speaking on Citizen TV then, he noted that Ruto played a role in influencing the decision when he visited the organisation’s floating office on the sidelines of a state visit to the Netherlands in 2023.

“President Ruto came to our office in Rotterdam and congratulated me for supporting African nations, including Kenya but he challenged me to do more," Verkooijen said.

“He then asked me why we have no offices in Africa offices yet our initiatives are focused on Africa and that is why last September, during the Africa Climate Summit, he announced that we would build the largest nature-based office in the world here in Nairobi.”