Nairobi, 23 April 2026 – The First Session of the UN‑Habitat Executive Board 2026 was convened on 21–22 April at the United Nations Complex in Gigiri, Nairobi. As host country, Kenya warmly welcomed Member States to deliberate on critical priorities shaping the future of sustainable urbanization.
In opening remarks delivered on her behalf by Qs. Cassius Kusienya, MBS, Hon. Alice Wahome, EGH, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing & Urban Development, commended the Executive Director, Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, for her steadfast leadership in advancing UN‑Habitat’s agenda with transparency, accountability, and results‑based management. The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to providing leadership in the global discourse on sustainable housing and urban development, citing the successful hosting of the Second Africa Urban Forum in Nairobi and the implementation of the Government’s ambitious Affordable Housing Programme—flagship under the Bottom‑Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). FULL STATEMENT
During the session, Amb. Nakhumicha Wafula, E.G.H., Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN‑Habitat, in her capacity as Chair of the Programme, Budgetary and Administrative Matters (PBA) of the Executive Board, presented the PBA report. Complementing this, Ambassador Beatrice Karago, Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR), chaired the meetings of the Working Group skilfully guiding the deliberations that led to the adoption of the session’s outcomes. FULL STATEMENT
Member States reached important decisions on the organization’s financial status, programme implementation, governance, and follow‑up actions from previous sessions. These outcomes reaffirmed the collective commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, and the impactful delivery of UN‑Habitat’s global mandate.
