Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau addresses the close of the Nairobi Trust Summit on October 23, 2026. She was representing DP Prof. Kithure Kindiki. PHOTO | COURTESY

The inaugural Nairobi Trust Summit has adopted a 29-point Call to Action proposing reforms to public institutions, multilateral systems and digital governance to address declining public confidence across societies.

The agreement, adopted at the three-day summit held in Nairobi from October 21 to 23, 2026, also proposes the establishment of a Coalition on Global Trust, a Nairobi Trust Council to be hosted by Kenya, and a Global Trust Facility under the United Nations to finance initiatives aimed at strengthening public confidence and international cooperation.

The summit, held under the theme “Weaving Trust: Binding Strands for a Stronger Global Order,” brought together government representatives, international organisations, business leaders, civil society groups, academics, technology experts, media representatives and young people.

The Nairobi Call to Action identifies trust as a global public good and a foundation for effective governance, economic growth, peace, climate action and global health security.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said the focus would now shift to implementing the proposals and ensuring they deliver tangible benefits to citizens.

“Trust is a public good that must be deliberately nurtured, financed and strengthened. The true measure of this Summit will be the commitments we translate into tangible outcomes for our citizens,” PS Sing’Oei said.

He said the next phase would involve developing an implementation plan and extending public engagement campaigns to counties, where regulators and public institutions would be expected to explain their decisions, demonstrate accountability and show how they protect the public interest.

The 29-point framework outlines four priority areas, including restoring trust in public institutions, reforming multilateral institutions, strengthening confidence in the digital age, and advancing inclusion and belonging.

On public institutions, the agreement proposes an annual Regulatory Trust Index at national, regional and global levels to measure public confidence in regulatory bodies and identify areas requiring reform.

It also calls for stronger regulatory cooperation and mutual recognition, particularly through the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area, to reduce compliance costs associated with fragmented regulatory systems.

The framework further proposes subnational peer-review mechanisms to strengthen accountability and improve public confidence in governance structures.

On multilateral reform, the agreement calls for global institutions and the international financial architecture to become more representative, transparent and accountable.

Among the proposals is a review conference on the United Nations Charter under Article 109, alongside stronger global health governance, equitable access to medical countermeasures and improved coordination among regional and continental organisations involved in conflict prevention and resolution.

The agreement also calls for climate commitments to be backed by predictable financing, technology transfer and capacity building, particularly for countries disproportionately affected by climate risks.

In the digital space, the summit called for accelerated implementation of the Global Digital Compact and stronger international cooperation on artificial intelligence governance.

The framework also advocates greater African participation in global digital governance, increased transparency around platform algorithms and synthetic content, and stronger safeguards for independent journalism and scientific integrity.

On inclusion, the agreement calls for children, young people, women, persons with disabilities, displaced persons and excluded communities to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives.

It also proposes expanding access to employment, entrepreneurship and financing for young people, while recognising sport, culture and the creative economy as tools for strengthening social cohesion.

To support implementation, the proposed Coalition on Global Trust would provide a platform for governments and non-state actors to share knowledge, coordinate initiatives and advance commitments across borders and sectors.

The Nairobi Trust Council, which Kenya is expected to host, would bring together prominent figures from the public, private and philanthropic sectors to assess progress and promote accountability.

Participants also agreed to champion the proposed Global Trust Facility at the United Nations. The voluntary financing mechanism would draw contributions from state and non-state actors over an initial four-year period and would be administered by the United Nations Development Programme, subject to further development and implementation.

The facility could support national accreditation bodies, regulatory trust indices, data protection systems, cybersecurity authorities and judicial cooperation mechanisms.

The summit secretariat will develop a Framework for Action incorporating monitoring, tracking and reporting arrangements, including reviews every two years.

The agreement also encourages international organisations, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to conduct biennial studies examining the economic costs of distrust.

Trust Summit Chief Executive Officer Awel Uwihanganye said the agreement marked a shift from identifying the causes of declining confidence to pursuing practical solutions.

“The Nairobi Call to Action moves the world from diagnosing the trust deficit to doing something about it. Trust is a global public good, and no institution, sector or country can rebuild it alone,” Uwihanganye said.

The agreement also emphasises Africa's role in shaping global governance, financial cooperation, digital inclusion and access to global public goods.

Participants noted that approximately 70 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa's population is under the age of 30, arguing that young people should be recognised as active contributors to institutional reform, economic development and international cooperation rather than merely beneficiaries of policy.

The Nairobi Trust Summit is expected to convene every two years, with discussions underway on extending the Trust Dialogues to regional and international platforms.

The adoption of the Call to Action marks the beginning of an implementation process, with its success depending on governments, international organisations, businesses, civil society and communities translating the commitments into reforms, resources and measurable outcomes.