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- Limitations and assaults on basic freedoms are rife in Africa.
- The Seychelles is ranked as the most peaceful and transparent country in Africa.
- Botswana and Cape Verde are tied as the second most transparent on the continent.
Several crises threaten security, stability, democracy, and human rights in sub-Saharan Africa, while there are still limitations and assaults on basic freedom and the civic space, the recently released Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report states.
The report said corruption was weakening democratic processes, producing widespread public unrest, and igniting bloodshed in North Africa, where unequal political and economic power is intricately entwined with conflict.
The shining beacon, the Seychelles retained its position as the most transparent country in the region with a score of 70 out of 100, followed by Botswana and Cape Verde, which are tied at 60.
The lowest-ranked African countries were Burundi and Equatorial Guinea (tied with a score of 17), South Sudan 13 and Somalia 12.
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Sub Saharan Africa's average score is 32.
The report reads:
"The region struggles to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and an increased cost of living. Extensive funds are needed to address the consequences of economic, ecological, and healthcare challenges and they must not be lost to corruption."
Despite scoring a point above the average regional score, Angola gained 14 points, which is a marked improvement attributed partly to President João Lourenço's corruption fight that has since netted Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of late former president Eduardo dos Santos.
The Central African Republic (24), Democratic Republic of Congo (20), Sudan (22), South Sudan (12) and Somalia (12) scored low because of embedded corruption and conflict.
North Africa
The average score for North Africa was 38 because "the region continues to struggle with authoritarianism".
This despite the changes brought by the Arab Spring uprisings of more than a decade ago which failed to re-arrange political power dynamics.
That was why the region faced "pervasive civil unrest and violent conflict as people fight for their rights and voices to be heard", the report said.
The instability enables what CPI called "the vicious cycle of authoritarianism" across the Arab world.
Libya scored the worst in North Africa at 17 for a country challenged by inequality and corruption which was a result of the country's failure to establish a democracy after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Tunisia, with a score of 40, dropped four points below the 2021 rating due to President Kais Saied's stranglehold on power.The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
