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‘It is essential to think positively’: five minutes with Kenji Hiramoto
The head of data strategy, executive officer at the Government of Japan’s Digital Agency, tells GGF about the country’s government interoperability framework, modernising institutions, and why failing can be an asset What drew you to a career in the civil service? After graduating from university, I worked for an IT company and a consulting firm.…
The race to protect: how COVID-19 supercharged civil service delivery
When the pandemic arrived, civil services acted rapidly to protect citizens. At the Global Government Summit, national leaders discussed some of the lessons they’d learned – and looked ahead to the next global crisis. Elaine Knutt reports The pandemic has presented governments with “wave after wave of challenges”, said Leo Yip, Head of the Singapore…
Five interesting insights from the OECD’s governance report
The recent publication includes some surprising lessons for civil service leaders – arguing, for example, that some anti-corruption practices can be counterproductive Last month, the OECD published a report promoting “a coherent and multidimensional approach to public governance” – including some interesting and counter-intuitive findings on how best to promote effective government. The report, Policy Framework…
South Korea tops OECD digital government rankings
South Korea has been ranked as the top digital government among 33 countries in a league table released by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The 2019 Digital Government Index (DGI), published last week, draws on survey results from 29 OECD member states and four non-member partner countries to measure the maturity level…
Finding your identity: solving the digital ID verification challenge
Governments worldwide are trying to create digital ID verification platforms, offering citizens secure access to public services – but many have struggled to deliver workable, popular solutions. At the Government Digital Summit, Matt Ross heard digital leaders from 16 countries debate the way forward In some countries, said Lauri Lugna, the data links between government…
Canada’s digital chief Alex Benay quits government
Alex Benay has announced he will step down as Canada’s chief information officer next month to “take on new challenge” at tech start-up MindBridge. “It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my departure from the Government of Canada,” he said on Wednesday in a statement posted on social media, describing his time as…
Heiki Loot, Secretary of State, Estonian Government: Exclusive Interview
Estonia’s Secretary of State, Heiki Loot, is leaving government after 15 years at the top of the civil service. As he prepares to return to his legal roots, Matt Ross learns how he helped build not just the country’s world-leading digital services, but the state itself “You learn by doing,” says Heiki Loot. So what…
Regaining public trust: sunlight is the best disinfectant
Citizens’ faith in their national governments is falling across much of the developed world. James Johns considers some of the innovative ways in which countries and cities around the world are trying to reconnect with their populations Despite its more usual attribution to Otto von Bismarck, it was American poet and lawyer John Godfrey Saxe…
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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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