[TSA] The Ibrahim Index of African Governance, an organisation founded by a Sudanese telecommunications magnate, has awarded the African continent just one point more than it had back in 2006 rating Africa's 54 countries rather poorly.The index - seen as "the strongest governance survey of Africa" - rates countries in 95 different criteria gathered from 34 independent sources, as well as data from Afrobarometer polls, gauging public perceptions on everything from corruption to perceived and experienced economic opportunities.
The survey noted that, while a few countries have improved individually, the continent as a whole still struggles with a disregard for the rule of law and the inability to ensure safety and security.
"The positive side is that governance on the continent has improved. It may be only slightly, but it is progress. Perhaps the most worrying trend is the deterioration of rule of law and safety, personal safety," the organisation's Mary Robinson, who also served as president of Ireland, told the Associated Press.
South Africa, as the continent's largest economy and most industrialised nation, still manages to hold a spot in the top 10, but was one of the countries with the largest decline due to Eskom's inability to supply [electrical] constant power; unemployment and government's poor economic policies.
Consistently ranked as Africa's best-run country, Mauritius tops the list of best-performing nations.