Namibia stays in Ibrahim Top Ten after 13 years

The latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranks Namibia in sixth position out of 52 countries. Compiled and published by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation since 2000, this index ranks African countries according to an aggregated score in four categories of governance. The new index was released by the foundation’s offices in London on Monday this week.
The 2013 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) shows that Namibia is one of eight countries to have remained consistently in the index’s top ten since 2000 – along with Mauritius, Botswana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Seychelles, Tunisia and Ghana.
The published 2013 Ibrahim Index provides full details of Namibia’s performance across four categories of governance: Safety & Rule of Law, Participation & Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity and Human Development.
Since 2000, Namibia has shown its biggest improvement in the category of Sustainable Economic Opportunity. This category measures the conditions necessary for economic development, including sound public management, a competitive business environment and robust infrastructure.
The 2013 IIAG shows that 94% of Africans – including those in Namibia – live in a country that has experienced overall governance improvement since 2000. The 6% of people living in a country that has experienced governance deterioration since 2000 are based in Madagascar, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Libya and Mali.
Namibia’s performance in the 2013 IIAG:
Ranks 6th (out of 52) overall;
Scores 69.5 (out of 100), higher than the African average (51.6);
Has improved +2.3 since 2000;
Ranks 4th (out of 12) in the Southern Africa region;
Scores higher than the regional average for South Africa (59.2);
Ranks its highest in the category Safety & Rule of Law (4th out of 52);
Ranks its lowest in the category Human Development (13th out of 52);
Ranks its highest in the sub-category Infrastructure (3rd out of 52), and ranks its lowest in the sub-categories Rural Sector and Education (19th out of 52 in both).
Southern Africa is the best performing region at the overall governance level. This has been the case every year since 2000. Eight out of the 12 countries in Southern Africa score above the continental average of 51.6. Five Southern Africa countries rank in the top ten. One country (Zimbabwe) ranks in the bottom ten.
Mauritius is the highest-ranking country in the region, ranking 1st (out of 52) overall and scoring 82.9. Zimbabwe is the lowest-ranking country in the region, ranking 47th (out of 52) overall and scoring 35.4.
Mo Ibrahim, Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said: “Neither Afro-pessimism nor Afro-optimism do justice to modern Africa. This is now the age of Afro-realism – an honest outlook on our continent. It’s about a celebration of its achievements but also a pragmatic acknowledgement of the challenges that lie ahead.”
Since 2000, of the 94 indicators included in the IIAG, the ten most improved are Antiretroviral Treatment Provision, Ratio of External Debt Service to Exports, Digital Connectivity, Core International Human Rights Conventions, Cross-Border Tensions, Legislation on Violence Against Women, Immunisation (Measles & DPT), Women in Parliament, Primary School Completion and Child Mortality.