Dubai Ruler honors 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 the "Best Minister Award" to the Honorable Anxious Masuka, Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe, at the 2025 World Government Summit, according to a report released by the national media.

The Honorable Anxious Masuka received the "Best Minister Award" for his transformative leadership in Zimbabwe's agricultural sector. His accomplishments include achieving self-sufficiency in wheat production in 2022 through record harvests, marking the first time in over two decades that the country reduced its reliance on imports.

With a vision to increase maize production, expand irrigation, and implement climate-smart agriculture, Minister Masuka accelerated dam construction, launched large-scale irrigation rehabilitation projects, and established an e-agriculture academy to provide accessible digital learning opportunities.

His transparent and efficient governance, which earned him recognition as Zimbabwe's best-performing minister in both 2022 and 2023, has helped attract investment and contributed to significant progress through initiatives like the Agriculture Growth Program.

The "Best Minister Award," organized by the World Government Summit in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers Middle East, aims to recognize government leaders whose innovative, scalable, and resilient policies drive meaningful social and economic progress.

The award ceremony was witnessed by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; and Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that outstanding ministers are drivers of positive change, ensuring that every decision enhances government performance and contributes to the well-being of their citizens.

He noted that ministers who prioritize serving the people and fostering a culture of innovative responsibility are essential for shaping the future. Celebrating these innovative leaders, showcasing their achievements and innovations, ultimately improving people's lives, sends a powerful message to governments worldwide: true success lies in tangible outcomes that drive sustainable development and create a better future for all.

Sheikh Mohammed emphasized: "Outstanding ministers do not merely occupy positions; they lead transformations. 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."

The eighth edition of the award focused on successful and scalable projects and initiatives that have positively impacted communities through resilience, preparedness, innovation, and future foresight, while maintaining good governance and transparency. It recognizes exceptional ministers who lead sustainable, high-impact initiatives to drive social and economic advancement.

The rigorous evaluation process for selecting the winners analyzed achievements at both the macro and micro levels, selecting countries that ranked highly in the following four composite global macro and socioeconomic indices: Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index, the World Governance Indicators, the Human Development Index, and the Happiness Index.