UN General Assembly gives green light for renovation of UN headquarters in Geneva
Bern, 24.12.2015 - On 23 December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly approved the “Strategic Heritage Plan”, the project to renovate the Palais des Nations. The UN Headquarters in Geneva will be completely renovated and a new building added by 2023.
Built in the 1930s, the Palais des Nations, which houses the UN Headquarters in Geneva, has never been fully renovated. In view of the urgency and cost of repairs that are required with increasing frequency, the UN Secretary-General presented to the UN Member States a proposal for the complete renovation of the Palais des Nations, the “Strategic Heritage Plan”, which has now been approved by the UN General Assembly.
The ”Strategic Heritage Plan” will create a modern working environment for employees and conference attendees in the Palais des Nations. In addition to the renovation work, a further building will be added. The premises are to be made accessible to people with disabilities. Office space for seven hundred additional staff will be created in the Palais.
The construction work will begin in 2017 and will be completed by 2023. The total cost of the project is estimated at CHF 836.5 million. The Swiss Confederation and the Canton and City of Geneva are providing interest-free loans of CHF 400 million, subject to the approval of their respective parliaments.
The modernisation of the Palais des Nations is of utmost importance to Switzerland as the host state. Ensuring that the UN has modern, functional headquarters is essential to strengthen Geneva's position as a city in which solutions to the global challenges of our time are sought.
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