High-level government leaders from across Africa and Asia, including Vice Presidents, Vice Prime Ministers, Finance Ministers, Planning Ministers, and Heads of Presidential Delivery Units, gathered at Harvard University from the 27^th to the 30^th of April 2025, under the theme “Development Can’t Wait: Time to Act, “ to exchange insights and drive forward urgent development priorities.

The multi-day convening, hosted by the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, deliberated strategies and tools necessary to sharpen national priorities and accelerate the delivery ofhigh-impact development goals. The program opened with a high-level panel discussion by H.E. Laura Chinchilla, Former President of Costa Rica, the Rt. Hon. Patrick Achi, Former Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, and H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of Tanzania. This panel framed the urgent need for bold leadership amid growing economic pressure, global instability, and rising citizen expectations and set the stage for in-depth, solution-focused discussions on rethinking the role of government to drive national transformation.

Over the following days, participants engaged in various sessions covering topics like adaptive leadership, political navigation, investing in human capital, fiscal policy, whole-of-government coordination, and effective delivery. A combination of faculty-led discussions, case studies, and immersive simulations provided practical guidance on prioritizing legacy initiatives and negotiating across government silos to drive results.

A core element of the program was a series of hands-on workshops, where each leader worked with mentors and faculty to refine their transformational goals and implementation plans. Ministers also discussed best practices and shared insights from setting the vision to executing it with real, measurable impact.

Moreover, Ministers joined the Global Empowerment Meeting Dinner, hosted by Harvard’s Center for International Development (CID), highlighting the role of AI for inclusive change. There, they explored how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can drive inclusive growth and, possibly, drive or tackle socio-economic disparities. They also connected with peers across continents, building relationships that will foster ongoing collaboration and shared learning.

Notably, Andrea Baccarelli, Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Jeremy Weinstein, Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, respectively, joined the opening and closing sessions. Each delivered compelling messages on the crucial importance of public leadership in today’s world and what this program represents for the University. Both deans highlighted the Program as a flagship effort in bridging global academic excellence with real-world governance challenges.

As the Forum concluded, the theme of the event resonated with all the leaders: Development Can’t Wait, it is Time to Act. Provided with strategic insights from their mentors and peers, and practical tools from academic experts, Ministers returned to their countries with a sense of urgency to turn their goals into action and deliver life-changing outcomes for their citizens. When courageous leaders act with clarity, urgency, and discipline, development doesn’t wait—progress happens.

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