The progress of governance in Africa has been halted with the deterioration of security and political rights in many countries, says the Ibrahim Index of African Governance 2024 (IIAG) of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation published yesterday, Wednesday (23).

"Africa made great progress in the first decades of this century, but in the last 10 years we see that there has been very slow progress... and in the last five years things have begun to stagnate and even deteriorate in some circumstances," says the report published every two years, which is considered the most comprehensive on the subject, with data on 322 variables, including public services, justice, corruption and security.

In the opening of the document, the Foundation's patron says that "IIAG 2024 is a worrying reminder of the threat that an ever-deepening security crisis and a diminishing participatory environment pose to the continent's progress".

"Of course, it also reflects the global crisis situation. Escalating conflicts and deepening mistrust in democratic institutions and values are not specific to Africa, we see it all over the world, but it is specifically worrying in Africa because it threatens our economic progress and social development, as well as the advances we are yet to achieve," adds Ibrahim, in a Voice of America publication. (VOA).

Ahead of this, Mo Ibrahim warns that "we are not going to resume Africa's recovery very soon. Ours is a huge continent of 54 countries, with highly divergent trends, some with remarkably successful trajectories, others with worrying warning signs."

However, the report points to some progress in global governance in 33 countries, where just over half of the 1.5 billion people have lived in the last 10 years.

(Photo DR)