The resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly will be held from 29 to 30 May 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. 

As the governance body of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Habitat Assembly convenes every four years. It is the highest global decision-making body on sustainable urbanization and human settlements.

The 193 UN Member States cast the votes, while participants include non-Member States, other UN bodies and specialized agencies, as well as intergovernmental organizations, civil society, private sector, academia and research institutions, women, youth and children, and grassroots organizations.

It is the participant’s own responsibility to obtain a visa for the Republic of Kenya. Participants required to be in possession of a visa are advised to obtain one as early as possible. A valid visa should be obtained in advance from the Kenyan Embassy/High Commission in the participant’s country of residence or the nearest Kenya Embassy in the region. The information provided here acts only as guidance.

A valid passport, valid for at least six months from the date of arrival, is required for entry into the Country. For more information on guidance on eligibility and visa requirements must register through the visa portal available at: https://evisa.go.ke/. Kindly take note that, Nationals who do not require visas, and participants on UNLP will get an epass free of charge on application to present to the airlines on travel. Participants on Diplomatic, Service, and Official passports will be issued with courtesy visas.

Additionally, all applicants should keep in mind that:

1. When filling the form, are advised to choose meeting/workshop as the reason for the travel.
2. On host details, please choose firm on the drop-down menu, and on the full name and address of the host, fill UN-Habitat General Assembly and use the address of UN-Habitat.
3. The document to be uploaded for both the invitation letter from the host and the company registration certificate is the invitation letter issued after registration.

Nationals of the following countries require a referred visa prior to arrival in the Republic of Kenya and which should be acquired in advance through a Kenyan Embassy: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, State of Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, and Stateless persons.

Solomon Islands, South Africa (for less than 30 days stay), Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Participants are warned of the many pseudo sites purporting to offer the service of a Kenya visa and only apply using https://evisa.go.ke/.

Please note that visas are not required for citizens of: The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cyprus, Dominica(not to be confused with Dominican Republic), Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino.

Section I: Accreditation to the United Nations Habitat Assembly

Accreditation allows representatives of stakeholder organisations to participate as observers and take part in the deliberations of the UN-Habitat Assembly and its intersessional organs, including the Executive Board, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and respective working groups. Stakeholder organisations fall in two categories: duly accredited and non-accredited organisations.

According to rules 68 and 69 of the UN-Habitat Assembly Rules of Procedure, and the UN-Habitat Governing Council Resolutions 19/8 and 26/7, duly accredited organisations comprise the following and must complete form A in section III to reconfirm their accreditation status: 

1. Non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

2. Organisations either accredited to:

   (a) the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), 

   (b) the Special Session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda (Istanbul+5), 

   (c) the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, (Habitat III) or 

   (d) the First and Second sessions of the UN-Habitat Assembly. 

Non-accredited organisations are those organisations not in categories 1 and 2 above. These organisations must apply for accreditation by completing a questionnaire and submitting all required documents as guided in Section III below.

 Section II: Accreditation criteria:

Accreditation is granted to organizations (not individuals) that meet the following criteria: 

1. Be a legal entity in at least one country.
2. The organisation must have been in existence (officially registered) for at least two years as of the date of receipt of the application by the Secretariat.
3. The organisation’s activities must be relevant to the mandate of UN-Habitat – housing, human settlements, and sustainable urban development.
4. The organisation must have a democratic decision-making mechanism or governance structure.

Section III: Accreditation Process

Duly accredited organisations in Section I above should request for reconfirmation of accreditation online by completing Form A (click here to access the form) and attaching a signed and dated letter on organisational letterhead addressed to the UN-Habitat Executive Director nominating not more than five (5) representatives of the organisation to the UN-Habitat Assembly.

Non-accredited organisations that meet the accreditation criteria outlined in Section II above should designate a focal point/contact person who will establish a personal profile and apply online on behalf of the organisation by completing Form B (click here to access the form) and submit all required documents. 

Please note that incomplete applications will not be processed. Secondly, the name of the organisation must match the name on the registration certificate issued by the government authority in the country of registration.

The deadline for receipt by the Secretariat of application for accreditation of non-accredited organisations is 31 January 2025.

The Secretariat will process applications for Member States approval, and then inform applying organisations of the decisions by 2 April 2025.