Governance Matters

Governance Matters is a practitioner-focused annual magazine that features positive stories and public-sector tradecraft from government leaders and experts globally. Distributed to public leaders across more than 140 countries, Governance Matters magazine catalyses meaningful conversations on the tradecraft of good and effective governance.

"Dogged As Does It": Authentic Leadership for an Anxious Age

"Dogged As Does It": Authentic Leadership for an Anxious Age

Former top Australian civil servant Peter Shergold considers what it will take to govern well in a complex world.

Kazakhstan’s New National Story

Kazakhstan’s New National Story

As the nation builds for the future, Chairman of the Astana Civil Service Hub Alikhan Baimenov explains, it is also rediscovering its past.

Brazil’s First Minister of Indigenous Peoples

Brazil’s First Minister of Indigenous Peoples

Sônia Guajajara faces no small task: protect Indigenous lands, cultures, and communities, for the good of the globe.

Slovenia’s Playbook to Level the Playing Field

Slovenia’s Playbook to Level the Playing Field

The country’s Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development has plans to ensure equitable and sustainable development.

Defence Against the Dark Arts: Sweden’s Psychological Defence Agency

Defence Against the Dark Arts: Sweden’s Psychological Defence Agency

Deputy Head Mikael Tofvesson reveals how his organisation combats threats to national values.

Africa: “Ripe for an Economic Revolution”

Africa: “Ripe for an Economic Revolution”

Bogolo Kenewendo argues for more concerted governance and equitable financing across the continent.

Winners in the Chandler Good Government Index 2024

Winners in the Chandler Good Government Index 2024

Celebrating the best performers in the Chandler Good Government Index.

Journey Towards Better Government: Where Are We Headed?

Journey Towards Better Government: Where Are We Headed?

The CGGI’s results over the past four years tell a compelling story about where global governance is going.

How Good Governance and the Marketplace Can Bring Prosperity to the Global South

How Good Governance and the Marketplace Can Bring Prosperity to the Global South

“There is no path to development that does not include building a capable, trustworthy government,” writes CIG Founder Richard F. Chandler.

Turning the Challenges of Immigration into Opportunity

Turning the Challenges of Immigration into Opportunity

Managing immigration can be challenging, but a focus on integration can help.

Scaling What Works: If Only it Were that Simple

Scaling What Works: If Only it Were that Simple

The Centre for Evidence and Implementation shares practical steps for policymakers.

Fighting Cybercrime on the Frontlines

Fighting Cybercrime on the Frontlines

INTERPOL’s Bernardo Pillot talks ransomware, AI, and taking action.

Mastering the Nunchaku

Mastering the Nunchaku

Krishna Bhaskar shares life lessons and hard-won wisdom as a member of India’s elite Administrative Service.

Better Together: Tackling Complex Challenges

Better Together: Tackling Complex Challenges

A deep dive into “Impact Hubs”, a new model of cross-sector collaboration that stands out for its sharp focus—and ability to deliver results.

Finding Common Ground in a Fracturing World Order: Reflections of a Trade Negotiator

Finding Common Ground in a Fracturing World Order: Reflections of a Trade Negotiator

APEC Secretariat Executive Director Rebecca Sta Maria on the fine art of multilateral trade negotiations.

A 3,500 Year-Old Pharaoh’s Lessons for Today’s Leaders

A 3,500 Year-Old Pharaoh’s Lessons for Today’s Leaders

Egyptologist Kara Cooney on the remarkable rise of Hatshepsut, the woman who ruled ancient Egypt.

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Leadership in Turbulent Times

An in-depth discussion with former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, U.K. politician Baroness Hodge of Barking, and CIG Managing Director Kenneth Sim, on what leaders should be prioritising.

Inside Mission Control

Inside Mission Control

Alun Evans, former Head of Strategic Communications at No 10 Downing Street, explains how to build an effective leader’s office.

Putting Integrity at the Heart of Public Service

Putting Integrity at the Heart of Public Service

Izabela Corrêa, Secretary for Public Integrity at Brazil’s Office of the Comptroller General, talks about the country’s cutting-edge anti-corruption efforts.

Delivering Digital Transformation in Ukraine

Delivering Digital Transformation in Ukraine

Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister in Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, explains how her ministry is delivering the future even in the midst of war.

Government’s Voice of the Future

Government’s Voice of the Future

Sophie Howe, the world’s first Future Generations Commissioner, on helping young people have their voices heard.

Iceland: The Small Country with a Big Brand

Sveinn Birkir Björnsson, Director of Global Marketing Communications at Business Iceland, explains how he and his team took their nation’s story to the world.

Harmonising Emoluments Pays Off for Zambia

Harmonising Emoluments Pays Off for Zambia

Mwamba Peni, Director General of the country’s Emoluments Commission, on his mission to deliver fair pay for the public service.

How Climate Finance Can Protect the Planet and Build Prosperity

How Climate Finance Can Protect the Planet and Build Prosperity

Erwin De Nys, Practice Manager for the World Bank’s Climate Change Fund Management Unit, explains how innovative funding programmes incentivise sustainable projects.

Professionalising South Africa’s Public Service

Professionalising South Africa’s Public Service

Yoliswa Makhasi, Director General of the Department of Public Service and Administration, on reforming the country’s civil service.

Making Change Happen in Sierra Leone

Making Change Happen in Sierra Leone

Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh talks to international governance expert Alvin Pang about building schools, “Radical Inclusion”, and how government is like a startup.

Good Governance in a Time of Polycrisis

Good Governance in a Time of Polycrisis

The team behind the Chandler Good Government Index on the most important insights from benchmarking 104 countries.

The Great Negotiator

The Great Negotiator

Distinguished Singaporean diplomat Tommy Koh shares his wisdom on forging consensus between governments.

Meet Kenya’s Leaders of Tomorrow

Meet Kenya’s Leaders of Tomorrow

The Chandler Institute of Governance’s Kenneth Sim and Sin Xin Ping on a groundbreaking new training programme.

Cracking the Investment Promotion Code

Cracking the Investment Promotion Code

The CEO of Ghana’s Investment Promotion Centre, R. Yofi Grant, on how to work with businesses.

The Shared Rewards of Women’s Peace and Security

The Shared Rewards of Women’s Peace and Security

Carla Koppell, Managing Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, discusses her experiences working in more than 30 conflict zones around the world.

Ten Rules for Managing Government Debt

Ten Rules for Managing Government Debt

Former Director of the World Bank’s Department of Financial Advisory and Banking Services Marcelo Giugale on preventing financial distress.

Streets Ahead: A City Fair for Everyone

Streets Ahead: A City Fair for Everyone

Urban planning pioneer Eva Kail reveals the thinking behind Vienna’s inclusive urban design and architecture.

I Saw it on my Feed! Building Trust with Social Media

I Saw it on my Feed! Building Trust with Social Media

The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Heather Lansdowne on how to create a sensational social media campaign.

Putting Policy to the Test

Putting Policy to the Test

J-PAL South Asia’s Shobhini Mukerji explains her organisation’s Nobel Prize-winning approach to refining policy.

How Citizen Power can Answer our Greatest Challenges

How Citizen Power can Answer our Greatest Challenges

Jon Alexander, co-founder of the New Citizenship Project, on how governments can make the most of their people’s big ideas.

Public Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Public Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Carlos Santiso, Head of Digital, Innovative, and Open Government at the OECD, explains how to harness this revolutionary technology.

The Roman Road: Lessons in Governance from Caesar Augustus

The Roman Road: Lessons in Governance from Caesar Augustus

Historian Barry Strauss reveals what practitioners can learn from one of the ancient world’s greatest leaders.

The New Art of Persuasion

The New Art of Persuasion

The BBC’s Justin Webb writes about the new ways governments are connecting with the people.

Envisioning the Future of a Nation

Envisioning the Future of a Nation

Huda Al Hashimi, the UAE’s Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, discusses her country’s 50-year goals.

Moving from Cooperation to Competition

Moving from Cooperation to Competition

Kong Sophy, Secretary of State in Cambodia’s Ministry of Civil Service, explains how the Government is reforming its civil service.

Nurturing: A New Form of Public Service Leadership

Nurturing: A New Form of Public Service Leadership

Intrinsic Labs’ Sharath Jeevan on how a new approach to leadership can yield results.

Lessons from Parliament and Reforming the Constitution

Lessons from Parliament and Reforming the Constitution

Kiara Kijburana, once the youngest female MP in the Thai Parliament, reveals what she learned about policy and practice.

Multilateral Institutions: Do They Still Have a Role?

Multilateral Institutions: Do They Still Have a Role?

Michael Møller, Former Under-Secretary-General of the UN, speaks candidly about the future of international relations.

Reimagining the Foreign Service

Reimagining the Foreign Service

Husband-and-wife diplomatic team Barbara Gonzenbach and Nikolas Stürchler Gonzenbach on how job sharing can transform diplomatic services.

The Collaborative and Learning Government

The Collaborative and Learning Government

Artha Global and IDFC Institute’s Reuben Abraham explains how think tanks and governments can work together better.

Delivering Universal Healthcare Effectively

Delivering Universal Healthcare Effectively

Beverly Ho, Director of the Philippines Health Promotion Bureau, on turning the pandemic into an opportunity.

In-skilling Our Way to a Digital Government

In-skilling Our Way to a Digital Government

Aaron Maniam, Deputy Secretary at Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information, explains why governments cannot overly rely on outsourcing.

Spearheading the Digital Revolution

Spearheading the Digital Revolution

Karen Makishima, Japan’s Minister for Digital, tells Matthew Bishop why her digitalisation plans will level up her nation.

Secrets of Successful Digital Reforms

Secrets of Successful Digital Reforms

Siim Sikkut, former Chief Information Officer of Estonia, reveals how his small country became a digital powerhouse.

Measuring National Governance During a Global Crisis

Measuring National Governance During a Global Crisis

The team behind the Chandler Good Government Index on the most important insights from benchmarking 104 countries.

Public Sector Training Re-Imagined

Public Sector Training Re-Imagined

Kenneth Sim, Dean of the Chandler Academy of Governance, believes that training matters now more than ever.

Can Development and Green Financing Be Creative?

Can Development and Green Financing Be Creative?

Teddy Mugabo, CEO of the Rwanda Green Fund, on how innovative investments are saving the planet.

Climate Action: All Leaders Great and Small

Climate Action: All Leaders Great and Small

President of COP26 Alok Sharma on coming together to tackle mankind’s greatest challenge — climate change.

The Art of Building Green Cities

The Art of Building Green Cities

Sadhu Aufochs Johnston, Former City Manager of Vancouver and Chief Environmental Officer of Chicago, believes governments must lead by example.

Upholding a Just and Accountable Civil Service

Upholding a Just and Accountable Civil Service

Florence Kajuju, Ombudsman of Kenya, on how she provides a voice for the voiceless.

Small Nudges, Big Impact

Small Nudges, Big Impact

Sasha Tregebov, Director of the Behavioural Insights Team Canada, reveals how science can improve policy.

From Imitator to Innovator

From Imitator to Innovator

Keyu Jin, Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and China expert, explains Beijing’s changing approach to technology.

Rethinking Change: Moving from Management to Agility

Rethinking Change: Moving from Management to Agility

Josh Bersin, CEO of The Bersin Company, on how to manage change in the modern world.

The Governance Competition: Why It Matters

The Governance Competition: Why It Matters

Founder of the Chandler Institute of Governance Richard F. Chandler on the relationship between good governance and prosperity.

Rise of the Storyteller-in-Chief

Rise of the Storyteller-in-Chief

BBC’s Justin Webb writes about the value of harnessing the power of story.

Naming and Faming

Naming and Faming

Accountability Lab’s Sheena Adams profiles three governance trailblazers from the global south.

NITI Aayog: The Role of a Policy Thinktank

NITI Aayog: The Role of a Policy Thinktank

NITI Aayog’s Rajiv Kumar explains the thinktank’s role in translating a dynamic policy shift into reality.

Helping People Lead Better Lives

Helping People Lead Better Lives

Former acting Vice-President and Minister of Planning and Development of Ecuador Sandra Naranjo Bautista shares lessons from her time in office.

The Laboratory Brewing Innovation in Chile

The Laboratory Brewing Innovation in Chile

Laboratorio de Gobierno’s Roman Yosif Capdeville discusses public management in the 21st century.

Ministry of the Future

Ministry of the Future

An interview with Policy Horizon’s Kristel Van der Elst on developing future-oriented policies in Canada.

Governance for Society 5.0

Governance for Society 5.0

Hiroki Habuka of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on governance in a digital society.

Decoding Social Equity with Data

Decoding Social Equity with Data

San José’s Chief Data Officer Christine Keung discusses how data can be used to better serve the community.

Can Good Governance Be Measured?

Can Good Governance Be Measured?

CIG’s Wu Wei Neng believes that practical use of data can paint a powerful picture of government performance.

Modernising the Art of Governance

Modernising the Art of Governance

Nikolai Astrup talks to Matthew Bishop about equipping the Norwegian government for the digital and climate revolution.

India’s Aadhaar System: Bringing E-Government to Life

India’s Aadhaar System: Bringing E-Government to Life

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani tells the story of building a digital public infrastructure.

Open is Better

Open Government Partnership’s Tonusree Basu on building trust in public leadership.

From Ebola to COVID-19

From Ebola to COVID-19

How a robust national health system in Liberia was leveraged to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting Transformation Right

Getting Transformation Right

Mayor Pudence Rubingisa on how Kigali became one of the most liveable cities in Africa.

Building a National Story

Building a National Story

Swedish Institute’s Monika Wirkkala explains the role of a national story in governance.

Working Together to Solve Global Challenges

Working Together to Solve Global Challenges

Swiss Ambassador to Singapore Fabrice Filliez shares why Switzerland champions multilateralism.

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders

Author Donald Robertson ponders over the lessons that can be learned from the Stoics.

Tang Taizong: A Golden Age of Governance

Tang Taizong: A Golden Age of Governance

CIG’s Victoria Giaever-Enger writes about what modern leaders can learn from the Tang Dynasty Emperor.

Lights, Camera, Activism!

Lights, Camera, Activism!

Professor Natasha Lindstaedt on the role that celebrities can play in the political arena.

Building Back Better

Building Back Better

Policy expert Andrew Wear believes that by making the right choices, we can emerge from COVID-19 stronger than before.