Renovations to the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva estimated at $850 million have moved a step closer after member states agreed to allocate $28 million to planning the work.

The General Assembly vote follows a warning from Olivier Zehnder, the Swiss deputy permanent representative at the UN, that the work was “urgent”.

The pre-works budget will be used to assess building requirements at the Palais des Nations, parts of which date back to 1929.

Acting-Director General Michael Moller welcomed the news and explained to reporter Daniel Johnson why it’s so important that the work begins in 2017.

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