Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended its decision to grant diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) after public criticism and questions from Kenyans over the move.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei rejected claims that the decision was driven by external political pressure, saying such assertions were unfounded.
“I have noted media reports touching on the grant of Host Country Status to the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), an international non-governmental organisation based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with regional offices in Nairobi, dedicated to accelerating climate adaptation solutions globally,” Sing’oei said.
“The imputation that the Host Country Agreement was granted as a result of external political pressure is without any foundation,” he added.
Sing’oei said the agreement was negotiated and concluded in line with the Privileges and Immunities Act, which governs the granting of diplomatic status to international organisations operating in Kenya.
He noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is mandated to manage diplomatic privileges and immunities for foreign entities and intergovernmental organisations in the country.
According to the ministry, the process began on July 27, 2023, when it received a request from GCA seeking Host Country Agreement status to facilitate the establishment and operation of its regional office in Nairobi, a move the government said would support Kenya’s climate diplomacy and green growth agenda.
The review process was finalised on April 20, 2025, when the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs signed Legal Notice No. 82, formally granting privileges and immunities to GCA and its internationally recruited staff.
Parliament subsequently ratified the decision on September 30, 2025, following the submission of the request, stakeholder consultations and public participation, as required under Section 17 of the Act, Sing’oei said.
The principal secretary stressed that the privileges granted to GCA were not exceptional, noting that similar arrangements have been extended to more than 170 non-state entities providing technical assistance in Kenya since 1984.
“These entities receive standard privileges, including tax exemptions on specific goods necessary for their operations, immunity from legal action for acts carried out in good faith, and facilitation of work permits,” he said.
Organisations that have previously been granted similar status include Oxfam, Save the Children, the World Wide Fund for Nature, the International Cooperative Alliance, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Lutheran World Federation, among others.
