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New Zealand sets out 2021 budget with new inclusive wellbeing framework
New Zealand has published its annual Budget, setting out an updated approach to wellbeing, explaining how it plans to rebuild the country’s economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, and allocating funds to develop a “carbon-neutral government”. While New Zealand’s economy has performed better than expected during a volatile year, the finance minister Grant Robertson remained cautious.…
Opinion: the public sector will bear the brunt of Sunak’s push to balance the books
The budget suggests that this government believes it is business who will power the UK’s recovery from COVID-19. But it’s a fair bet that departments will end up feeling the squeeze, argues journalist David Walker The 2021 budget, published yesterday by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, tells the public sector two things. One is that this government…
Layers upon layers: how financial data paints a picture of the pandemic
Governments have found new sources of real-time financial data that give a clear view of COVID-19’s impact on industries, businesses and workers. At the 2020 Government Finance Summit, top officials from around the world dipped into this treasure trove for economic policymakers and service providers After the 2008 credit crunch, governments spent vast sums on…
Spare room superheroes: how finance departments met the pandemic threat
When COVID-19 struck, finance departments around the world sent their staff home – and asked them to put their economies into induced comas. At the Global Government Finance Summit, senior leaders spoke candidly about the challenges of performing radical economic surgery remotely, and considered the first steps to recovery. Matt Ross reports “This crisis was…
OECD warns against pivot to austerity
The chief economist of the OECD has urged governments not to rush to cut public spending deficits, setting out a very different position from that taken by the organisation in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. In an interview with the Financial Times, Laurence Boone – who runs the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and…
UK chancellor Rishi Sunak must ensure the cut to foreign aid is temporary
Opinion: As the UK retreats from its pledge to spend 0.7% of GDP on overseas aid, the public finance professionals’ body CIPFA is urging ministers to revive the commitment as soon as possible. The organisation’s chief economist Jeffrey Matsu makes the case This week’s Spending Review in the UK was a significant step towards recognising…
South Korea commits US$4bn to bolster tech sectors
The South Korean government will spend S$4.7 trillion (US$3.9bn) of its 2020 budget on technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), in a bid to boost R&D, infrastructure and economic growth. The government plans to spend a combined S$1.7 trillion on big data platforms, AI and 5G network services next year. A further S$3 trillion will…
Russian retirement ages to rise as demographics squeeze pensions pot
Russia has announced a rise in the retirement age, with the goal of avoiding deficits in the state pension fund as the proportion of pensioners to taxpayers grows within an ageing population. Last month, Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev set out a series of rises in the age at which people are entitled to start…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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