The Government of Malta has entered into an ambitious project with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to strengthen strategic foresight and anticipatory governance across the public service, as part of the implementation of Malta Vision 2050.

The initiative, led through the Malta Vision 2050 Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister, marks a decisive step towards ensuring that Malta’s long-term strategy is not only ambitious, but resilient, adaptive, and future-ready.

The project was launched through a high-level workshop held today, bringing together more than 60 high-ranking public service officials from across Ministries and entities.

Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for Malta Vision 2050, Ronald Mizzi, stated: “Malta Vision 2050 sets a clear direction for where we want to go as a country. But in today’s world, direction alone is not enough. We must be able to anticipate change, challenge our assumptions, and adapt early. This collaboration with the OECD strengthens our ability to do exactly that, ensuring that Malta Vision 2050 is not just a plan, but a living framework that remains relevant, resilient and deliverable over time.”

The OECD project team underlined that Malta has developed a strong and forward-looking Vision 2050 and that what distinguishes leading governments today is their ability to anticipate and adapt as conditions evolve. The team underlined that by embedding strategic foresight into its governance systems, Malta is taking an important step towards ensuring that long-term planning translates into sustained and meaningful impact.

The project will deliver structured foresight tools such as horizon scanning and scenario planning; stronger institutional coordination linked to Malta Vision 2050; capacity building across the public service; and the development of a national “Futures Outlook” framework. This work builds on earlier reforms and aims to ensure that foresight becomes a permanent feature of Malta’s governance model, rather than a one-off exercise

The collaboration will run over an 18-month period and forms part of Government’s broader approach to ensure that Malta Vision 2050 remains responsive to emerging global trends, grounded in evidence and analysis and aligned with the needs of future generations.

This marks a continued shift in governance, from reactive policymaking to anticipatory, forward-looking leadership.

The initiative will also facilitate peer learning with countries such as Lithuania, Estonia and Germany, positioning Malta as an active participant in a growing international community of governments focused on public sector innovation and long-term, future-ready policymaking.

At a time of rapid technological, economic and geopolitical change, the project reflects Government’s commitment to move beyond traditional planning and embed anticipatory thinking at the heart of policymaking.

Through this collaboration, Malta joins a group of countries working with the OECD to embed anticipatory governance within national policy frameworks.