Elevating Efficiency and Collaboration: The UN Kenya Common Back Office Initiative

Nairobi is at the heart of an innovative effort that is evolving the operational landscape of the United Nations in Kenya. With the ardent backing of UN Resident Coordinator Stephen Jackson and Director General Zainab Bangura, the Common Back Office (CBO) is redefining operational efficiency and interagency collaboration. As part of the UN Secretary-General’s broader vision for a more effective and efficient UN system, the initiative epitomizes the transformational agenda outlined in “Our Common Agenda.” Embracing Change as One

The CBO initiative is a strategic shift towards greater operational coherence and efficacy among the UN’s many agencies based in Kenya. 

“This is a crucial leap towards deeper operational harmonization and efficiency as we strive to realign ourselves to better serve those who we seek to support,”  
UN RC Stephen Jackson. 

“The Common Back Office initiative will become a game-changer, as we continue to innovate operational excellence to ensure that our concerted initiatives are impactful and sustainable,” noted Director General Zainab Bangura.

This ambitious effort is about more than just administrative consolidation; it signals a much more fundamental alignment with the Secretary-General's reform and efficiency agenda, and the Organization's call for a new culture of innovation, data-driven analysis, and strategic foresight throughout the UN system. This consolidation in fact brings this vision of the CBO to life. Since commencing operations on 2 January, 2024, the CBO has been at the vanguard of advancing significant operational efficiencies and implementation cost savings that are reinvested in the UN's Kenya development and humanitarian programme. Dr. Stephen Jackson explains: "In truth, 'The business of a Chief Business Office' - the consolidation of Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Procurement, IT services, and Logistics under the single CBO banner - is not about how each of us are saving money individually; its about enhancing our collective ability to do a much better job working and living integratively across the UN family in Kenya."

Every UN entity in Kenya is on this journey together and in so doing, modeling an unprecedented level of collective unity and commitment to achieving operational excellence and measurable collaborative impact.

Voices of Commitment and Anticipation The enthusiasm around the CBO is widely shared across UN agencies, each investing their particular expertise and vision to the initiative’s success. "We are fully aligned with the Secretary-General’s efficiency agenda, and we are committed to making this initiative a success,” says Abraha, Ansu Kanneh from UNHCR, capturing the shared commitment to operational excellence. From his counterpart at UNICEF, Benjamin Meyer, similar optimism, “We are excited about the prospects of the CBO to not just realize cost savings but to significantly improve the quality of our administrative, human resources, ICT, and procurement services.”

A New Chapter of Collaboration and Impact The Common Back Office initiative is far more than a technical reform – it is an eloquent symbol of the UN’s abiding commitment to unity, collaboration and innovation in service of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a profound testament to the shared determination of the UN family in Kenya to work together more effectively, setting the standard for other UN operations around the world.

As we move forward, the words of Director General Zainab Bangura ring out as a call to action for us all. 

"Together, we will make a difference, setting an example for other country teams and duty stations." 

The UN Kenya Common Back Office is so much more than a new operational model. It is a tangible reflection of our shared commitment to fostering a more efficient, united and impactful UNPKO presence in Kenya and beyond. Together, we are bringing into being a new era of collaboration and synonymous efficiency.