‘Governance suffers setback in Africa’

OVER the last four years, 2011 to 2014, governance progress in Africa has stalled, showing a shifting landscape.

According to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), released yesterday, the African average overall governance score in the IIAG increased only slightly by +0.2 points to 50.1, out of 100.0, with considerable changes in performance during the last four years at all levels of the Index, both at country and at category level.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was established in 2006 with a focus on the critical importance of leadership and governance in Africa. By providing tools to support progress in leadership and governance, the Foundation aims to promote meaningful change on the continent.

Published yearly, the IIAG provides a comprehensive assessment of governance performance for each of the 54 African countries. The 2015 IIAG consists of 93 indicators, which fall into four categories: Safety and Rule of Law, Participation and Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity and Human Development. 

The report points out that 21 countries, including five of the top 10, have deteriorated in overall governance performance since 2011. Only six countries registered an improvement across each of the four categories of the IIAG: Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Zimbabwe.

At the regional level, the continental trend in overall governance marks varying performances and a widening range between the regions.

Southern Africa remains the best performing region, with an average score of 58.9, followed by West Africa (52.4), North Africa (51.2) and East Africa (44.3). Central Africa is the lowest ranking region with an average score of 40.9, and is the only region to have deteriorated since 2011. 

The marginal improvement in overall governance at the continental level is underpinned by positive performances in only two categories, Human Development (+1.2) and Participation & Human Rights (+0.7). Both Sustainable Economic Opportunity (-0.7) and Safety & Rule of Law (-0.3) have deteriorated.

Chairman of the foundation, Mo Ibrahim, says: “While Africans overall are certainly healthier and live in more democratic societies than 15 years ago, the 2015 IIAG shows that recent progress in other key areas on the continent has either stalled or reversed, and that some key countries seem to be faltering. This is a warning sign for all of us. Only shared and sustained improvements across all areas of governance will deliver the future that Africans merit and demand.”