Zambia registers an overall governance improvement in Africa

ZAMBIA has registered an improvement in governance ranking within Africa, attaining its highest level of 16 out of 54 countries, according to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

The Foundation says Zambia has achieved the highest category score in Safety and Rule of Law and highest sub-category score in National Security.

According to the 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) published yesterday by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Zambia has regis- tered a 57.7 score out of 100 in overall governance. This means that the country has scored higher than the African average of 50.8.

The 11th edition of the IIAG ratings looked at both country and indicator trends from 20122016 within the context of the last decade.

The report says Zambia's overall governance progress is driven by safety and rule of law, sustainable economic opportunity and human development.

The report also indicates that Zambia has achieved it's highest category score in Safety and rule of Law (66.4 out of 100) and highest sub-category score in National Security (94.1 out of 100). "Zambia registers an Overall Governance improvement over the decade at an annual average trend of +0.32," the report reads.

The report says Zambia's Overall Governance progress over the decade is driven by three of the four categories: Safety and Rule of Law (annual average trend of +0.16), Sustainable Economic Opportunity (annual average trend of +0.13) and Human Development (annual average trend of +1.08).

The report says participation and human rights is the only category picking up speed in the last five years with most of the countries improving at an accelerated rate across all four categories of the IIAG.

"The average positive trend is mainly driven by the accelerated progress in participation, led by a majority of countries improving in free and fair elections," the report reads in part