With the benefit of several years of CGGI data, we can discern trends in the global governance landscape. For the first time, we bring out the stories that the data is telling about the global governance competition.

Trend 1: Widening Governance Gap at the Regional Level

At the regional level, we see CGGI overall scores clustering into four distinct bands (see below).¹  Apart from East Asia, the gap between these bands has not closed over the past four years.

‍

Governance Gap Between Regions is Widening

CGGI Scores by Region (2021 - 2024)

‍

Indeed, the gap between regions appears to be widening—we call this the “Governance Gap”. Even with a small decline in performance from Western Europe and Australia & New Zealand, countries from Band 1 regions continue to maintain a commanding lead. On the other hand, both South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa—already the weakest performing regions—have seen a consistent and notable decline in CGGI scores.

‍

China and Mongolia are Driving Regional Improvement

Changes in Scores for East Asian Countries (2021 - 2024)

‍

Trend 2: East Asia is Rising

East Asia stands out as the only region that has seen sustained and significant progress. Comprising four ranked countries—China, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea—the region has seen relatively broad-based improvements. Between 2021 and 2024, the region, on average, improved in five out of seven CGGI pillars, with slight declines in the other two.

‍China and Mongolia drove the region’s stellar performance over the past four years—China climbed five places in the overall rankings, while Mongolia improved eight spots. China’s progress was driven by significant improvements in the Leadership & Foresight, Helping People Rise, and Attractive Marketplace pillars. Mongolia’s improvements were seen largely in the Financial Stewardship and Attractive Marketplace pillars.

‍South Korea’s score improved slightly between 2021 and 2024, allowing it to stay within the top 20 best performing countries on the CGGI, while Japan dropped out of the top 20 for the first time this year. This is also the first time that South Korea has overtaken Japan.

Trend 3: Government Performance Slips Globally

A deeper look at the country-level data shows that the quality of national governance has generally declined between 2021 and 2024.

Over the past four years, 67 countries saw their overall scores decline—while only about half that number (35) saw their scores improve. We also saw a drop in the average CGGI score over that same time period.

Less economically advanced countries were disproportionately affected. All low-income countries saw a decline in CGGI scores, while only 57% of high-income countries suffered in the same way.²

On average, there was a decline in performance across five out of seven pillars. The pillars that saw the largest declines were Financial Stewardship and Global Influence & Reputation.

‍Trend 4: Gap Widens Between Leaders and Stragglers

The data also shows a widening Governance Gap: the best performers are getting better while the worst performers are declining further.

As the chart below shows, countries with the biggest improvements in CGGI scores come almost entirely from the top half of countries in the CGGI rankings, while those with the most significant declines have generally come from the bottom half of the Index. This mirrors the widening Governance Gap that we have observed between regions.

Uplifting Government Capabilities and Closing the Governance Gap

Among the many lessons that have emerged over the past four years, one in particular stands out: progress is possible. Yet, the data also demonstrates such progress has eluded most governments.

These struggles are not surprising, given how many voices in this year’s Governance Matters agree that the challenges facing government have never been greater. But if the challenges are historic, so are the benefits of overcoming them, with concerted action and political will.

The governance competition, more than any other, will determine the rise and fall of nations, and the fate of billions of people they represent.

‍

Declining Government Performance; A Growing Governance Gap

CGGI Overall Scores 2021 vs 2024