Kenya will in 2029 host a crucial forestry congress after successfully wresting the bid from Canada.
Kenya Forest Research Institute CEO Jane Njuguna said the country put up a spirited fight to win the bid to host the 27th International Union of Forest Organisations (IUFRO).
She said a number of factors helped Kenya win the bid, becoming the first African country to host the event.
“Kenya is well established in forestry research in the region as it has modern forestry research facilities in the region,” Njuguna said during a breakfast meeting on Wednesday at KICC.
Other reasons include the presence of 23 United Nations agencies working on the environment, people, health, unique diversity and vegetation, most beautiful contrasting landscapes in the world like Mt Kenya, misty forests, dryland forests, mangrove forests and Chalbi desert.
The majestic wildebeest migration and KICC’s capacity to host delegates were other factors that made Kenya win the bid.
Njuguna said 8,000 delegates are expected to attend the event at KICC, a move that is expected to bring at least Sh 5 billion to the Kenyan economy.
Environment CS Dr Deborah Barasa attended the event.
Barasa said the win by Kenya is a testament of the country’s leadership in forestry through unwavering commitment to ensuring sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, landscape restoration and innovative forest research.
“Kenya is an oasis of biodiversity with deep-rooted forest traditions that cherish trees and forests as pillar in culture and livelihood support,” she said.
IUFRO brings together more than 15,000 scientists in forestry, drawn from more than 115 countries in at least 630 member organisations.
Kefri, Icraf, Cifor, African Forest Forum, The African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education and Kenya Forest Service are the current members of IUFRO in the country.
The call for bids to host the 27th IUFRO World Congress was sent by the IUFRO president to all member organisations in June 2021.
The secretariat that coordinated the bid process for Kenya is based in Kefri, with additional co-opted members drawn from the public sector and local IUFRO members.
Many organisations in the public and development sectors supported the bid, and in particular, the African Union Commission endorsed it on behalf of the continent.
The win by Kenya marks the first time that the IUFRO World Congress will take place in Africa in the organisation’s long history of nearly 140 years.
After submitting the bid, Kenya was shortlisted in September 2022 to compete against Canada.
In preparation for the final presentations, both countries received different site inspection delegations that represented the IUFRO Management Committee.
Kenya welcomed the delegates in Nairobi in December 2022.
They took part in a meeting that brought together not only public institutions but also the private sector, research and development partners who visited the proposed venues—KICC and the University of Nairobi campuses.
The final decision by the IUFRO Board on the host of the 27th IUFRO World Congress in 2029 was announced on June 12, 2023.
During the 26th IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm in June 2024, an official handing-over ceremony took place between outgoing host Sweden and Kenya, which will host the 27th IUFRO World Congress in 2029 in Nairobi.
The handing over of documents took place in Vienna, Austria on May 20, 2025.
The congress is expected to convene thousands of forestry researchers, policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders from across the globe to deliberate on the future of forest science, innovation and sustainable development.
This achievement not only positions Kenya as a global hub for forest research and policy dialogue but also amplifies Africa’s voice in shaping inclusive and sustainable forestry solutions.
It presents a unique opportunity to showcase regional innovations, strengthen international collaborations and influence global forestry agendas from an African perspective.
To initiate the planning process and build momentum, the IUFRO Kenya Local Organising Committee proposes to host a stakeholder .
By Fred Odanga Azelwa.