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Births, deaths and everything in between: designing services around peoples’ lives

At key moments in life, people have enough to be doing without interacting with multiple public services. So governments around the world are connecting systems – making life easier for […]

Strong but flexible: creating effective central project management offices

Digital disruption in my career: from civil servant to entrepreneur, and back again

News

Trust in public services soars in New Zealand due to handling of COVID-19

Trust in New Zealand’s public sector surged between December 2019 and December 2020 following the government’s successful response to COVID-19, according to results from an online survey. More than two-thirds […]

WTO appoints Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as new director general

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) appointed its first woman and first African director general, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday. Okonjo-Iweala takes the helm after the Biden administration endorsed her appointment […]

UK abandons redundancy cap following legal challenges

The UK government has repealed new regulations that limited exit payments for departing public sector staff to £95,000 (US$132,000), after its policy was challenged in the courts by unions and […]

‘Never stop challenging the system’: the mindset that took Jeremy Heywood to the top of the UK civil service

Aspiring civil servants should follow the example of the widely-admired former UK Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood and seek to drive change by continuously challenging the “status quo”, his wife […]

AI

Emotion recognition tech fundamentally flawed, says human rights charity

Emerging AI-based emotion recognition technologies are “untenable” under international human rights law, and developing, designing or sharing such tech should be banned, a recent report has argued.  The study, which […]

US defense must have foundations for AI integration by 2025, new report says

The US Department of Defense (DoD) must set “an ambitious goal” to have the foundations for widespread integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across defence in place by 2025, according to […]

OECD audits global capacity to support government AI

The OECD has embarked on an exercise to benchmark the computational capacity needed by national governments, as they seek to develop state-sponsored artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to transform services or […]

UK needs an AI strategy, says advisory committee

The UK government needs an artificial intelligence (AI) strategy so it can be “influential in attracting talent, shaping global markets and global governance”, according to the AI Council, the government’s […]

Payments & Financial Services

COVID-19 pandemic drives govtech investment, says report

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven greater investment into govtech start-ups, according to a report. The study, published by StateUp, a London-based advisory firm focused on public sector digital innovation, explores […]

ECB launches SupTech procurement

The European Central Bank (ECB) is stepping up its investment in SupTech – technology for supervisory agencies – with a planned spend of more than £200m (US$276m). SupTech has growing […]

Taxing times: SMEs cautious about open banking

The UK government is exploring how technology can streamline tax administration. But HMRC must not add more burden to a community that is already being battered by COVID-19 and Brexit. […]

Data standards published for UK pensions dashboards

Data standards have been published to create “pensions dashboards” for UK citizens. The tool will enable people to access their personal pensions data – including about their state pension – […]

Partner Content

Financial crime: five key trends from 2020 and how they played out

Empower the centre and strengthen departmental leadership to realise the potential of data, say UK civil servants

To pick the right line, you need the full view

How to deliver services at pace – while squeezing out fraud

Great management involves really knowing your staff; here’s how analytics can help

How analytics can improve COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration

Interviews

Five big thoughts on 2020: the year’s best interviews

It’s been a hell of a year – and one presenting huge challenges for civil servants around the world. Our interviews explore how senior leaders have faced those challenges: in […]

Tallinn tales: Estonia’s role in developing the digital euro

Rainer Olt is leading research on digital currency technology for Estonia’s central bank. In an interview with Ian Hall, he talks blockchain, privacy and instant payments Estonia boasts a well-forged reputation […]

Restoring goodwill: former UK HR chief Kevin White on repairing national government’s damaged reputation

The UK’s response to COVID-19 fostered a suspicion of leadership, says former UK HR chief Kevin White – but it’s also an opportunity to revive trust in public services. The […]

Overcoming uncertainty: former environment and Brexit chief Clare Moriarty

Following the 2016 referendum, Clare Moriarty ran the environment department then the UK’s EU exit operations. She tells Matt Ross how a focus on human nature helped her to lead […]

Features

Births, deaths and everything in between: designing services around peoples’ lives

At key moments in life, people have enough to be doing without interacting with multiple public services. So governments around the world are connecting systems – making life easier for […]

Digital disruption in my career: from civil servant to entrepreneur, and back again

John Fitzpatrick, director for digital enablement at the UK’s Ministry of Defence, explains how embracing digital transformed his professional journey – even if it hasn’t always been plain sailing In […]

Strong but flexible: creating effective central project management offices

Central project management offices help to boost skills, delivery and oversight across departments. At a recent GGF webinar, experts highlighted the need to balance greater coordination and governance with the […]

Building for the future: delivering infrastructure for the post-COVID world

Infrastructure is key to economic recovery – but the pandemic has raised big questions around both public sector finances, and the kinds of infrastructure that will be required. At the […]

Digital & Technology

Digital disruption in my career: from civil servant to entrepreneur, and back again

John Fitzpatrick, director for digital enablement at the UK’s Ministry of Defence, explains how embracing digital transformed his professional journey – even if it hasn’t always been plain sailing In […]

Survey: centre of government should win new data powers, say UK civil servants

Most UK civil servants want to see the centre of government win new powers to drive departments’ progress on the use of data, outnumbering those opposed by three to one, […]

Air Commodore Paul Godfrey to lead UK’s new Space Command

Air Commodore Paul Godfrey OBE from the Royal Air Force (RAF) will become the first leader of the UK’s new Space Command. The new organisation – due to be formed […]

Reach every home: building universal digital services

Governments need strong digital infrastructure to provide citizens with online services and boost economic growth. At a GGF webinar, the panel considered how to develop national communications networks – and […]

Finance

Building for the future: delivering infrastructure for the post-COVID world

Infrastructure is key to economic recovery – but the pandemic has raised big questions around both public sector finances, and the kinds of infrastructure that will be required. At the […]

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 […]

Feeding the people, not the sharks: supporting citizens through the pandemic

Spare room superheroes: how finance departments met the pandemic threat

OECD warns against pivot to austerity

Learning from our mistakes: the post-COVID recovery

UK chancellor Rishi Sunak must ensure the cut to foreign aid is temporary

 Scaffolders erecting scaffolding against sunset

Rebuilding public finances: exploring the post-pandemic recovery

Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37lGqGIFBG8

Anil Arora, the chief statistician of Canada answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.

https://youtu.be/sCf9jpuBCIU

Alex Benay, chief information officer of the Government of Canada answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.

https://youtu.be/fVUcUJ9fYck

Tim Occleshaw, Deputy Government Chief Digital Officer, New Zealand answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.

https://youtu.be/164iyzNBllE

Kevin Cunnington, Director General of the Government Digital Service, UK answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvjmbin2bbg

Heiki Loot, Secretary of State, Estonian Government answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZFtd2lXnNQ

Sunil Shahaney, former Director of the Debt Programme, Cabinet Office answers Global Government Forum’s five questions for better government.