World Governments Summit Launches Global Ministers Survey And Best Minister Award In 2026

The World Governments Summit 2026 announces three major initiatives with PwC Middle East and EY. These are the third Global Ministers Survey, the ninth Best Minister Award, and the new Most Reformed Government Global Award. Together, they aim to recognise leading public sector efforts, promote data-driven governance, and support government reform agendas worldwide.

The announcements follow several partnership agreements signed with senior government officials and advisers. In the presence of Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation, Ohood Khalfan Al Roumi and Omar Sultan Al Olama formalised cooperation with PwC Middle East and EY representatives to deliver the awards programmes and survey.

The Best Minister Award enters its ninth cycle with PwC Middle East as Knowledge Partner. The award highlights ministers who address complex national challenges using digital tools and advanced technology. It focuses on government leaders who design forward-looking services and national strategies, and whose work supports resilience, preparedness and innovation in public administration.

The Most Reformed Government Global Award, launched with EY, targets entire governments rather than individuals. It recognises states that implement measurable reforms across structures, processes and policies. These reforms must clearly support economic value, improve transparency and strengthen citizen trust. The award encourages ambitious government change programmes that deliver practical results for communities.

Assessment for the Most Reformed Government Global Award covers efficiency, responsiveness, and demonstrable social impact. It values reforms that are scalable, data-led and grounded in evidence. The initiative also promotes continuous improvement and knowledge exchange between administrations, helping maintain reform momentum and support long-term public sector sustainability across different regions.

The award is positioned as the first global recognition that brings together all dimensions of public sector excellence. It considers transparency and accountability, governance quality, digital transformation, citizen-focused innovation and contribution to overall system performance. To clarify the three initiatives and their partners, key details are presented below.

The Global Ministers Survey, supported by PwC Middle East, gathers views from ministers around the world. It focuses on the most urgent global issues and aims to deepen international cooperation. By collecting perspectives on emerging trends, it helps governments align responses to shared challenges and build more coordinated policy solutions.

Findings from the Global Ministers Survey inform development priorities and policy discussions at the World Governments Summit. The survey encourages direct dialogue between ministers, allowing them to compare experiences and approaches. It also gives decisionmakers structured data and analysis that can support more agile, responsive and effective government systems.

Cooperation agreements for the initiatives were signed by senior officials and partners. Ohood Khalfan Al Roumi signed the Best Minister Award agreement with Hani Ashkar, Senior Partner at PwC Middle East. A separate agreement for the Most Reformed Government Global Award was signed with Firas Qoussous, EY Partner - Client and Industries, while Omar Sultan Al Olama signed a further agreement with Hani Ashkar for the Global Ministers Survey.

Ohood Khalfan Al Roumi said, "The Best Minister Award recognises government leaders who have achieved transformative milestones that helped enhance public service efficiency and ensure the sustainability of government policy. The award underscores the Summit’s mission to spotlight success stories and promote best practices, empowering governments to adopt innovative models that improve the quality of life across societies."

Building on this, Ohood Khalfan Al Roumi highlighted the broader aims of the initiatives. She noted that the World Governments Summit seeks to create lasting channels of cooperation between governments and to encourage institutional excellence. These efforts are described as supporting future readiness and comprehensive development aligned with peoples’ expectations and global shifts.

Omar Sultan Al Olama said, "The Global Ministers Survey reflects the World Governments Summit’s dedication to facilitating the global exchange of expertise. By focusing on key priorities, this initiative helps forge practical, sustainable solutions to shared global challenges, strengthening governments ability to navigate the rapid shifts across all sectors."

Al Olama added, "The Global Ministers Survey serves as an advanced platform for knowledge, monitoring the direction of global governance to anticipate future priorities. By capturing the insights and experiences of ministers worldwide, the survey provides decisionmakers with quality data and analysis necessary to formulate more agile and effective policies that lead to optimised government systems."

Hani Ashkar, Senior Partner at PwC Middle East, said, "The World Governments Summit continues to be a vital platform for shaping the future of public institutions and fostering collaboration between governments and the private sector. As Knowledge Partner, PwC contributes insights and initiatives such as the Best Minister Award to highlight public leadership that delivers sustainable and measurable socio-economic outcomes. Our work with the Summit reflects a shared commitment to strengthening institutions, enabling innovation and advancing long-term progress across the region."

Rami Nazer, Clients and Markets Leader, EMEA Government & Public Sector Leader at PwC Middle East, said, "The World Governments Summit continues to serve as a valuable platform for governments to exchange ideas and shape the future of public service. PwC is proud to support this mission through our long-term engagement with the Summit and through initiatives such as the Global Ministers Survey. By bringing forward the voices and perspectives of ministers globally, we aim to support more informed decision-making and stronger outcomes for citizens. We look forward to contributing to the upcoming World Governments Summit and to continuing this important collaboration."

Mona Abou Hana, Chief Corporate and Network Officer at PwC Middle East, said, "At its core, effective government is built on people, leadership and capability. We are proud of our partnership with the World Governments Summit, the thought leaderships we publish, as well as the various initiatives we engage on, which help strengthen these foundations and support governments in navigating growing complexity and delivering meaningful outcomes for communities."

Firas Qoussous, EY Partner - Client and Industries, said: "At EY, we believe transformation is the cornerstone of progress. Around the world, governments face complex challenges that demand bold, innovative action."

Qoussous added, "The Most Reformed Government Global Award honors those who lead with vision, implement impactful reforms, and set new benchmarks for governance excellence. EY is proud to partner with the World Government Summit to celebrate these trailblazers who are shaping a better working world for all. Together, we aim to showcase initiatives that redefine governance, enhance public service delivery, and create meaningful value for citizens."

Through these three initiatives, the World Governments Summit 2026 strengthens its role as a policy and knowledge platform for governments, particularly across the Middle East. The awards and survey together highlight effective leadership, whole-of-government reform and evidence-based decisionmaking, while encouraging collaboration between public institutions and private sector partners to improve outcomes for citizens worldwide.

With inputs from WAM