Global Government Finance Summit 2026: one month to go

Global Government Finance Summit: being hosted by Ireland’s Department of Finance in Dublin for the third successive year | Credit: Global Government Finance montage of photos by Deirdre Brennan (Finance Summit 2025) & Ian Hall

There is one month to go to the Global Government Finance Summit – the annual international gathering of permanent secretaries, treasury secretaries and senior finance ministry leaders responsible for public finances, fiscal policy and economic management.

The invitation-only roundtable event will take place in Dublin for the third successive year, and takes place on 14-15 September 2026. It is organised by Global Government Forum’s sister title Global Government Finance and is hosted by Ireland’s Department of Finance.

The 2026 agenda has been inspired by research study The Future of the Finance Ministry, for which 10 government finance leaders were interviewed by Ireland’s chief economist John McCarthy alongside the Global Government Forum and Global Government Finance team.

Session topics at this year’s Finance Summit include: exploring the evolving role of finance ministries; beyond budgeting: moving from financial planning to delivering outcomes; economic resilience – finance ministries in the driving seat?; firing up finance ministry digital transformation; and future-proofing finance ministry talent.

Since its launch in 2015, the Global Government Finance Summit has become one of the leading international forums for public finance leadership, bringing together heads of finance ministries from developed and emerging economies. Participants so far confirmed for 2026 include senior government representatives from Anguilla, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, Tanzania, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates. AWS is confirmed as knowledge partner.

Exchanging ideas with international peers

The 2026 Summit is taking place as government finance leaders face an increasingly complex agenda, spanning topics such as: global geopolitical and economic uncertainty; public spending pressures and public sector reform; digital transformation in public financial management; artificial intelligence; workforce and skills challenges; and the digitisation of money.

The event provides a unique opportunity for finance ministry leaders to exchange ideas with international peers facing such challenges in different national contexts. Unlike traditional conferences, the event focuses on peer learning and practical experience-sharing rather than formal presentations.

The Summit has previously been hosted by finance ministries and government departments including the Singapore Ministry of Finance; HM Treasury, UK; the German Federal Ministry of Finance; the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance; the Ministry of Finance, Estonia; and the General Treasury of Morocco.

The event’s government-led approach ensures discussions are focused on the real-world challenges facing public finance leaders and their organisations.

Read more: Meeting the moment: how finance ministries are evolving as expectations surge