In December 2023, the Global Center for Adaptation (GCA), led by Dutch professor Patrick Verkooijen, gave the University of Nairobi about €1.2 million for a climate-related research partnership.
This funding was meant to support research aimed at helping Kenya adapt to climate change.
However, just weeks later, in January 2024, President William Ruto appointed Patrick Verkooijen as Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, the same university that had just received funds from his organization.
This sequence of events raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and the independence of the university.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, where the GCA is based, confidence in the organization began to decline.
By 2025, several Dutch ministries, including Infrastructure & Water and Foreign Affairs, announced they would withdraw funding from the GCA.
The reasons cited included budget constraints, governance concerns, and worries over political entanglements.
This suggested that the Dutch government no longer fully trusted the way the organization was being managed.
Despite the withdrawal of support from its home country, Kenya moved in to strengthen its partnership with GCA.
In July 2025, President Ruto and Verkooijen attended a groundbreaking ceremony for GCA’s new African headquarters in Nairobi, presenting it as a dual headquarters with Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
In reality, with the Netherlands stepping back, the organization’s focus was shifting entirely to Kenya, signaling a major relocation of its operations.
On May 2, 2025, Kenya issued Legal Notice No. 82 of 2025, granting GCA diplomatic-style immunity under the Privileges and Immunities Act.
This legal move meant that the organization could operate with a high degree of independence, enjoying protections that included immunity from lawsuits, audits, and investigations.
Critics argue that this makes the organization largely untouchable within Kenya, raising questions about accountability and oversight.
Adding to concerns, the same headquarters is set to house Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, the body responsible for regulating environmental policies and partnerships like this one. This arrangement has sparked debate about potential conflicts and whether the ministry can effectively oversee an organization operating with such legal privileges.
In less than two years, these developments have transformed a climate research partnership into a complex network of legal protections, government involvement, and international scrutiny.
While the stated goal of GCA is to promote climate adaptation, the rapid series of events raises important questions about transparency, accountability, and the balance of power between foreign organizations and national institutions.
The situation prompts a critical reflection on who is truly shaping climate policy and who benefits from these high-level partnerships.
