Mr Geoffrey Thande, Director of Business Development, Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and Prof Lukoye Atwoli, Dean, AKU Medical College, East Africa during a facility tour at KICC
The World Health Summit (WHS) Executive Committee paid a courtesy call to the iconic Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the official venue for the WHS Regional Meeting 2026. The team was hosted by KICC’s management team led by Mr. Geoffrey Thande, Director of Business Development.
The WHS Regional Meeting 2026 scheduled for April 27–29, 2026, will convene more than 2,000 global health leaders, policymakers, innovators, and researchers from across Africa and the world under the theme: “Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Interdependence.”
Through plenary sessions, high-level dialogues, and collaborative workshops, the summit will focus on African-led solutions and generate actionable recommendations to advance both regional health progress and the global health agenda.
Mr. Thande emphasized the significance of hosting the event, stating: “KICC continues to spearhead strategic collaborations with partners such as the Aga Khan University and other local and international organizations to secure world-class conventions, ensuring Kenya’s visibility and competitiveness on the global stage.”
He noted that the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector is a vital driver of economic growth, aligned with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Hosting the 2026 Summit is expected to inject an estimated KES 3.8 billion into the economy through the multiplier effect of business events tourism.
This will mark the second time the meeting is held in East Africa and only the second on the African continent, underscoring the region’s growing role in shaping the global health agenda.
Participants will include heads of state and government, cabinet secretaries, private sector leaders, executives of international organizations, scientists, healthcare professionals, civil society, individuals with lived experiences, young professionals, and students.
The WHS Regional Meeting 2026 is expected to provide a unique platform to foster connections, share innovative ideas, and collaborate on solutions to some of the world’s most pressing health challenges, while spotlighting Africa’s health priorities on the global stage.