Minister Paula Ingabire urges national priority for trust frameworks
Date: 2025-12-18
By: Robert Annor
Rwanda’s
Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, has stressed that markets
integrate through standards rather than goodwill, noting that many local
businesses face barriers not because of a lack of innovation, but due to the
absence of trusted mechanisms. She made these remarks during the third day of
Digital Transformation Week 2025, where a Public-Private Dialogue was held to
discuss accelerating digital trade and innovation through trust frameworks.
She
described standards as enablers rather than constraints and characterized the
Trust Seal as an export passport for Rwandan businesses. The Minister called
for trust frameworks to be treated as national priorities and harmonised at the
international level to support Rwanda’s ambitions in digital trade and economic
integration.
The
dialogue brought together public and private sector leaders to examine how
standards and trust mechanisms can unlock opportunities across local, regional
and global markets. The session was opened by Ernest Kayinamura, Chairman of
the Rwanda ICT Chamber Board, who thanked participants for their continued
commitment to Rwanda’s digital transformation agenda and stressed that trust
remains the currency of digital trade. He encouraged companies and institutions
to leverage the ongoing Trust Seal acquisition exercise to strengthen
credibility and confidence.
Participants
were introduced to the GS1 initiative as a pathway for Rwanda’s integration
into global trade, highlighting how international standards can improve product
visibility, traceability and market access. Discussions also focused on the
Trust Seal as a standards-based certification that addresses compliance and
confidence challenges for digital solutions and simplifies company vetting
during procurement processes.
Contributing
to the discussion, Ngenzi Kirenga, Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry of
Commerce, Trade and Industry, called for a shift from principles to practice,
emphasizing that standards are the foundation of digital trust. He urged
stakeholders to elevate the Trust Seal and position it as a nationally trusted
standard. Moderating the session, ICT Chamber Chief Executive Officer, Alex
Ntale clarified that Trust Seals do not replace standards but provide
visibility and consolidation for existing compliance frameworks.
