New plan proposes global fund to restore trust in institutions

A new global plan proposes establishing a fund under the United Nations to finance reforms in public institutions, including regulatory bodies, cybersecurity agencies and judicial cooperation mechanisms.

The proposal is contained in the 29-point Nairobi Call to Action on Global Trust, adopted on Friday at the end of a three-day meeting in Nairobi.

The proposed Global Trust Facility would be financed through voluntary contributions from governments and non-state actors and administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) over an initial four-year period, subject to further development and implementation.

The plan also proposes a Coalition on Global Trust to coordinate initiatives across countries and sectors, and a Nairobi Trust Council, to be hosted by Kenya, to review progress and promote accountability.

The proposals come amid concerns over declining public confidence in institutions and calls for reforms to improve transparency, representation and accountability.

The plan calls for an annual Regulatory Trust Index to measure public confidence in regulatory institutions at national, regional and global levels. It also proposes peer reviews and closer cooperation among regulators to address inconsistencies in regulatory systems.

On international governance, the document calls for reforms to multilateral institutions and the global financial architecture. It also proposes a review conference on the United Nations Charter under Article 109, alongside measures to strengthen global health governance and coordination among regional organisations working to prevent and resolve conflicts.

The agreement further addresses artificial intelligence and digital platforms, calling for greater transparency around platform algorithms and synthetic content, stronger international cooperation on AI governance, and protections for independent journalism and scientific integrity.

It also calls for greater participation by young people, women, persons with disabilities, displaced people and other excluded communities in decisions affecting them.

Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei said the next phase would involve developing an implementation plan and taking public engagement campaigns to counties.

“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,” he said.

The summit secretariat is expected to develop a framework for monitoring and reporting progress, including biennial reviews. The plan also encourages international organisations, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to conduct a study every two years on the economic costs of distrust.

The proposed facility and other mechanisms are yet to be fully developed and implemented. Their progress will depend on securing funding and translating the recommendations into concrete measures.