Planning an event: useful information for meeting and conference organizers
Supporting your meeting from start to finish
Thank you for considering the Division of Conference Services of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON DCS) for your next meeting.
Our role is to provide expert, end-to-end support for your meetings, conferences and other events held in Nairobi and worldwide.
We work from initial planning through to the closing session of your event, so that you and your delegates can focus fully on the substance of your meeting, including decisions that will shape international cooperation.
From your first conversation with us, a conference officer will guide you through each stage of the process.
A coordinated approach
We warmly encourage clients and prospective clients to contact our Meetings Management Unit (MMU) as early as possible and submit their meeting requests well in advance of the planned event date.
A conference officer will work closely with you to understand your meeting objectives and requirements, advise on the services you may need and act as a single point of contact throughout the planning process. They will coordinate the teams involved in delivering your event, bringing together specialists from across the Division of Conference Services and other UNON colleagues who are responsible for security, information technology, protocol, medical services and facilities management.
The earlier you engage with us, the more effectively we can help you plan, cost and deliver your meeting to the highest standards.
United Nations Expertise
As part of the United Nations Secretariat, our team draws on many decades of experience serving intergovernmental meetings and events. Guided by United Nations standards, we deliver meeting and event services that support effective multilateral cooperation and decision-making.
Our conference professionals stand ready to support you at every stage of the process, from venue selection and room configuration to the provision of interpretation in the six official languages of the United Nations, drafting of meeting reports and editing, translation, publishing and printing of documentation. Throughout proceedings, our on-site team is on hand to assist you and your delegates with practical matters as they arise.
A sustainable setting for your event
The UNON campus provides a setting that supports more sustainable meetings and helps to reduce waste and environmental impact. It is the first and only United Nations headquarter duty station to attain ISO 14001:2015 environmental certification, the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems.
UNON is also single-use plastic-free. Please encourage delegates to bring reusable water bottles for easy refilling at the water dispensers that are available across the campus.
How to book UNON DCS conference services
You can book our expert conference services in five easy steps, with the guidance of one of our conference officers.
1. Tell us about your event
Contact our Meetings Management Unit with your meeting dates, the type of meeting and the services you require.
2. Register and estimate the cost your meeting
We will set you up on our booking and costing platforms (One Stop Shop and Cost Calculator) so that you can request rooms and services and build a clear, itemized cost estimate.
3. Receive your cost estimate
Once we have agreed with you on the availability and cost of services, UNON DCS will prepare a cost estimate setting out the services and associated costs.
4. Review, sign and confirm
When you are satisfied with the proposed services and costs, sign the cost estimate to certify it and arrange payment to secure your booking.
5. Host your meeting
With planning complete, our teams will support you from the opening to the closing session, so that you can focus on the discussions. Afterwards, you'll receive a clear final statement of costs.
Plan early
Our conference facilities and services are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and demand is high. We encourage you to get in touch with a UNON DCS conference officer as early as possible. Early booking helps secure the rooms and facilities that your event requires and gives our team the time to coordinate with colleagues across the Division and external service providers to arrange the most appropriate services at the most competitive rates.
Late requests may result in higher costs and, in some cases, may mean that we are unable to provide services for your event. This applies especially to specialized services, which are delivered by highly skilled specialists who are in demand across the United Nations system and may already be committed to other meetings worldwide. Early planning ensures that the right expertise is available for your meeting.
Ready to start planning?
Whether you are organizing a two-hour briefing or a week-long intergovernmental meeting, we look forward to supporting you anywhere in the world. Share your plans with us and a conference officer will work alongside you to deliver a successful event.
Upcoming global events UNON DCS is supporting
- 17 to 30 October 2026 | Yerevan, Armenia The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 17)
- 30 to 31 October 2026 | Kigali, Rwanda The 77th Implementation Committee under the Non-Compliance Procedure for the Montreal Protocol (77th IMPCOM)
- 16 to 20 November 2026 | Geneva, SwitzerlandThe First International Conference of the Global Framework on Chemicals (IC-1)
- 24 to 25 November 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya The 2026 Second Session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme(UN-Habitat)
- 26 to 27 November 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya OEWG-H: 3rd Meetings of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Housing
- 10 to 19 November 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya UN Tax Convention Committee: Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, Sixth Session
14 to 18 December 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya The 21st annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2026)
Meetings at UNON today
Get in touch
Planning a meeting or event?
Each year, UNON DCS supports a wide range of meetings, conferences and other events in Nairobi and around the world, from small technical workshops to major international conferences involving Governments, United Nations entities and global partners. Our client-focused team will work with you from your first enquiry to the end of your final session. For a free, no-obligation quotation, please contact us.
Attending a meeting?
Please contact your meeting organizers with any questions about registration or participation.
UN Code of Conduct
All UN system events are guided the United Nations System Code of Conduct. Everyone taking part is expected to act with integrity and respect, so that every meeting is inclusive, safe and free from harassment and discrimination.
