Kenya signs deal to host IVI vaccine project office in Nairobi

The Government of Kenya and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) have signed a Host Country Agreement to establish a new country and project office in Nairobi.

The agreement, which formalizes the presence of the international body in the country, was signed by Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and the IVI leadership. President Ruto witnessed the signing ceremony.

The new facility will serve as the headquarters for the Advancing Vaccine End-to-End Capabilities (AVEC) initiative in Africa. It is designed to coordinate vaccine research, development, and manufacturing strategies across the continent.

The Nairobi office will collaborate with local institutions, including the Kenya BioVax Institute (KBI), to strengthen local manufacturing capacity.

Kenya became a State Party of IVI in May 2024, following a period of engagement aimed at reducing reliance on external vaccine manufacturers.

According to government officials, the establishment of the office aligns with long-term infrastructure and health goals to position Nairobi as a regional hub for biomanufacturing.

The new office joins a global network of facilities operated by the institute, which includes its central headquarters in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The organization also maintains an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, and a country office in Austria.

Operations at the Nairobi hub will center on vaccine research and development, clinical trials, regulatory cooperation, and workforce development. The initiative aims to facilitate technology transfer and product innovation through partnerships with national health agencies and industry players.

The institute has been involved in local vaccine-related research projects in Kenya since 2010. The formalization of the physical office space provides a permanent base to manage its growing regional project portfolio.