via Zimbabwe ranked lowest in SADC governance survey – The Zimbabwe Independent October 5, 2015
ZIMBABWE has been ranked the worst country in the region on overall governance despite registering a slight improvement on the continental scale over the last four years, the latest Ibrahim Index on African Governance (IIAG) shows.
This emerged as the Mo Ibrahim index on African governance announced results of its assessment of different countries across the continent in London today.
According to the IIAG report released today, Zimbabwe has improved on its rankings driven by an improvement within the safety and rule of law category, among other categories.
However, it maintained a tail-end position in the Southern African region after being ranked 12th out of 12 studied Sadc states. Overally, the country was 44th out of 54 countries assessed.
The report further shows that the Southern African nation fared better on accountability and participation and human rights categories since 2011, suggesting government’s commitment to tackle its checkered governance issues.
The top 10 improvers in overall governance over the last four years, the report shows, represent almost a quarter of the continent’s population. Five of these countries, Senegal (9th), Kenya (14th), Morocco (16th) Rwanda (11th) and Tunisia (8th), already rank in the top 20 of the IIAG.
The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) provides an annual assessment of the quality of governance in African countries and is the most comprehensive collection of data on African governance. The 2015 IIAG combines 93 indicators from 33 independent African and global data institutions.
Mo Ibrahim, Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, said: “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 deserve and demand.”
The top three countries, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Botswana, the report shows, all exhibited a decline in overall governance and in at least two of the four components over the last four years. The report also says that the bottom three countries in overall governance are Central African Republic (24,9), South Sudan (19,9) and Somalia (8,5).
Former Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba won the Mo Ibrahim prize recognises and celebrates excellence in African leadership in March this year.
The prize consists of a US$5 million award paid over 10 years and US$200 000 annually for life thereafter. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation will consider granting a further US$200 000 per year for 10 years towards public interest activities and good causes espoused by the laureate.
Pohamba follows former presidents Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique (2007), Festus Mogae, Botswana (2008) and Pedro Pires, Cape Verde (2011) who are also laureates of the Mo Ibrahim prize.
Nelson Mandela was made the inaugural honorary laureate in 2007. In 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 the prize committee, after in-depth review, did not select a winner. – Staff writer.
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