By GPC News Desk
Governments, international organisations, businesses and civil society groups have committed to rebuilding public trust through institutional reforms, stronger accountability, inclusive governance and responsible use of digital technologies.
The commitments are contained in the Nairobi Declaration on Trust and Call to Action, adopted on Friday, at the conclusion of the inaugural Trust Summit 2026 held in Nairobi.
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The three-day summit, held under the theme “Weaving Trust: Binding Strands for a Stronger Global Order”, brought together representatives from governments, regional and intergovernmental organisations, the private sector, academia, media, technology companies, young people and civil society.
The declaration describes trust as a global public good, warning that its erosion threatens democracy, peace, security, economic prosperity, public health and international cooperation.
It also raises concerns over inequalities in global governance and the international financial system, arguing that developing countries continue to bear disproportionate economic and social burdens.
“Mutual trust is the foundation for human progress, reciprocity, solidarity and inter-state cooperation,” the declaration states.
The document identifies four priority areas for action: trust in public institutions, rebuilding trust in multilateralism, trust in the digital age, and inclusion and belonging.
On governance, the declaration proposes the development of a Regulatory Trust Index to assess trust at national, regional and global levels. It also calls for greater cooperation among regulators to reduce the cost of duplicated compliance procedures and improve recognition of standards across borders.
Governments are urged to strengthen accountability and public participation, while citizens are encouraged to engage constructively in rebuilding the social contract.
On international cooperation, the declaration calls for reforms to global financial and multilateral institutions to make them more representative, transparent and accountable.
It also urges stronger global health cooperation, equitable access to medical innovations, sustainable financing and improved preparedness for public health emergencies.
The declaration further identifies peacebuilding, mediation and reconciliation as essential to restoring confidence among communities and nations, particularly in areas affected by conflict.
On digital governance, the summit participants called for affordable internet access, stronger digital infrastructure and greater African representation in global technology and artificial intelligence governance.
The declaration also calls for support for independent journalism, academic freedom and scientific integrity, alongside greater transparency by digital platforms on algorithmic amplification and synthetic content.
It stresses the need for human oversight, public participation and accessible remedies in the deployment of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies.
Inclusion is another central pillar, with governments and the private sector urged to give young people, women, persons with disabilities, displaced persons and other vulnerable groups meaningful roles in decision-making.
The declaration also calls for expanded opportunities for youth employment, entrepreneurship and access to financing.
To translate the commitments into action, participants agreed to establish a Coalition on Global Trust bringing together state and non-state actors.
They also proposed an inclusive Nairobi Trust Council, to be hosted by Kenya, to monitor progress and review implementation of the commitments.
Another proposal is the establishment of a Global Trust Facility under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), financed through voluntary contributions from governments and non-state actors over four years.
The proposed facility would support what the declaration describes as trust infrastructure, including national accreditation bodies, regulatory trust indices, data protection and cybersecurity authorities, and judicial cooperation mechanisms.
The summit secretariat will also develop a Framework for Action, supported by a monitoring and reporting mechanism to track progress every two years.
Participants further agreed to convene the Nairobi Trust Summit biennially, with consideration given to extending the trust dialogues to other regions.
