Nairobi Office – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia/Somaliland

The Regional Office for East Africa manages the regional program with the components “Environment”, “Gender” and “Democracy”. In particular, it supports the networking of civil society organizations in the region in the fields of environmental policy, peace work and women’s rights. The promotion of civil society is at the forefront of the Foundation’s work, as it plays a key role in the future political development of the region. Civil society actors and political institutions are to be involved in national and international debates and negotiations on the o.g. Thematic areas, so that these actors are visibly represented and can successfully bring their positions into the debates. The Foundation also works on specific, topical and political topics. For this purpose, studies are created as well as events, workshops and conferences with international participants or campaigns supported. Art as a means of spreading peace culture and establishing links between environmental, gender and conflict resolution issues has also been part of the Foundation’s work in the region.

The Nairobi site favors the networking work of the Bureau, as Kenya has a strong regional focus as a hub for the entire East African region and is home to several international organizations. The active participation of civil society actors at the political level is a crucial element in the democratization process in the countries of East Africa. The Heinrich Böll Foundation contributes to this development.