Mohammed bin Rashid honours Zimbabwe’s Anxious Masuka with Best Minister Award during WGS 2025

 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, presented Anxious Masuka, Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe, with the Best Minister Award at the World Governments Summit 2025.

The ceremony took place in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; and Lieutenant General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that exceptional ministers are drivers of positive change, ensuring that every decision enhances the government's performance. He noted that ministers who prioritise their responsibility in serving people and fostering innovation are crucial to shaping the future. Celebrating these innovative leaders and showcasing their achievements and innovations, which ultimately improves lives, sends across a powerful message to governments worldwide: true success lies in tangible results that drive sustainable development and create a brighter future for all, he said.

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed emphasised: “Exceptional ministers don't merely occupy positions; they lead transformative change. They turn every decision into a valuable contribution, every challenge into an opportunity, and every idea into a tangible reality that shapes history and the future.”

Anxious Masuka received the Best Minister Award for his transformative leadership in Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector. His achievements include achieving wheat self-sufficiency in 2022 with a record harvest, reducing import reliance for the first time in over two decades.

With a vision to boost maize production, expand irrigation, and implement climate-resilient farming, Masuka accelerated dam construction, launched large-scale irrigation rehabilitation, and established an e-agriculture college for accessible digital learning.

His transparent and efficient governance, for which he was recognised as Zimbabwe's Best Performing Minister in 2022 and 2023, has helped attract investment and contributed to the significant progress achieved through initiatives like the Agricultural Growth Program.

The Best Minister Award, organised by the WGS in partnership with PwC Middle East, honours government leaders whose innovative, scalable, and resilient policies drive meaningful social and economic progress.

The eighth edition of the award highlights successful and scalable projects and initiatives that have demonstrated a positive impact on communities through resilience, preparedness, innovation, and future foresight, while maintaining good governance and transparency. It recognises outstanding ministers who have led sustainable, high-impact initiatives that drive social and economic progress.

A rigorous assessment process to select the winner analyses achievements on the macro and micro levels, selecting countries that fall in the top four global macro and socio-economic aggregated indices, namely: Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, the World Governance Indicators, Human Development Index, and the Happiness Index.

Shortlisted ministers are then closely assessed by a judging panel comprising high-level government officials and C-Suite individuals from renowned corporations. Judgement is then made based on the following criteria: 40% for innovation, 25% for impact and inclusivity, 20% for continuity and feasibility, and 15% for the presentation.