The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and also holds non-resident accreditation to Burundi (since 2007), Rwanda (since 2007[1]), Somalia (since 2010[2]), Tanzania (since 1987), and Uganda (since 1965).

[12][13] On 25 September 1970, Australia established diplomatic relations with Mauritius, with the high commissioner in Dar es Salaam receiving non-resident accreditation until 1984.

[16][15] With the closure of the High Commission in Dar es Salaam on 23 November 1987, accreditation for Tanzania was transferred to the Kenya post.

[19] On 4 May 1993, Australia formally recognised the independence of Eritrea, with non-resident accreditation held by the Nairobi high commission until it was transferred to the Embassy in Cairo in 2006.

[26] Following a 2004-05 review of security at Australia's overseas missions, where the Nairobi mission was classified as "high risk", in March 2014 the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee for Public Works approved construction of a new High Commission chancery on an 11,740-square-metre (126,400 sq ft) greenfield site in the suburb of Rosslyn, Nairobi, designed by Brisbane-based James Cubitt Architects.