Germany to turn government buildings in Bonn into UN offices

The Government of Germany has approved plans to convert former government and parliament buildings in Bonn over the next two years to a campus housing the offices of various United Nations agencies.

The buildings are to be fully refurbished and will eventually accommodate the offices of the UN Volunteers, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The facilities, which will be able to accommodate up to a 1,000 staff, will also house the secretariats of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and the UN Convention on Migratory Species.

The current staff of 600 is due to move into the refurbished buildings in 2005.