Eastern African countries have seen their governance systems weakened by insecurity and other related challenges.
The latest edition of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) sees governance, which is the provision of the political, social, economic and environmental public goods that every citizen has the right to, as having become worse.
For almost half of Africa’s population, living in 16 countries, the performance of rights was worse in 2023 than in 2014, and has been declining since 2019.
In Kenya, this was worsened by the Gen-Z led protests starting June over a controversial finance bill that was eventually withdrawn triggering abductions and disappearances across the country.
The Index, published since 2007 by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, says Kenya has strongly declined in “security & safety” since 2022.
“Kenya is also the 6th most improved country in Inclusion & Equality with a +12.1-point increase in Equal Socioeconomic Opportunity,” the report says.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the 8th most declined country in overall governance on the continent. According to the 2024 IIAG report, at the sub-category level, DRC registered declines in 12 out of 16 sub-categories, the most severe of which recorded in Security & Safety (-19.5), and the second in Participation (-7.4).
Both declines are concerning, given that the country is the fourth most populous in Africa.
At indicator level, the largest decline is seen in ‘Absence of Armed Conflict (-47.0)’, the DRC ranks as the 6th most declined country in this indicator.
The country reported other notable declines in Absence of Violence against Civilians (-28.6), Freedom of Association & Assembly (-25.0) and Civil Registration (-25.0).
In the aftermath of flawed, violent national elections in the DRC in December 2023, severe clashes between the military and insurgents—most prominently, M23 and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—continue in eastern DRC.
Clashes dramatically increased in February 2024, provoking international outrage and humanitarian crisis.
In March 2024, the UN reported that the number of internally displaced people in DRC had reached 7.2 million—one of the largest in the world.
At the Overall Governance level, DRC ranks 48th in 2023, with a score of 32.8.
On the other hand, DR Congo recorded the most improvements within Laws on Violence against Women (+20.0) and Deliberative & Participatory Governance (+18.7.
Ethiopia is the 2nd most deteriorated country in armed conflict, impacting overall progress.
In Overall Governance, Ethiopia improved by +2.5 points since 2014.
Performing slightly under the African average, the country ranks 29th in 2023.
Progress was achieved in 12 out of 16 sub-categories while Security & Safety massively deteriorated (-25.0).
Ethiopia’s two most declined indicators are Absence of Armed Conflict (-63.0) and Absence of Violence against Civilians (-58.4) – in the former, Ethiopia is the second most declined country after Burkina Faso and ranks in the bottom five (49th).
Both indicators deteriorate even more rapidly since 2019, in line with the escalation of violent conflict within the country since 2020.
A November 2022 cessation of hostilities agreement between the federal government and Tigrayan authorities, two of the main warring parties to the conflict in northern Ethiopia, ended active fighting in the Tigray region.
However, serious rights abuses against civilians in Tigray continued throughout the year, notably in Western, Northwestern, and Eastern Tigray Zones.
As of September 2024, there were 2.9 million internally displaced people in Ethiopia due to conflict and over 141,000 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers in neighbouring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
On the other hand, Addis Ababa has made remarkable progress in Political Power & Representation of Women (+42.7) and Regional Integration (+33.8). It is the most improved country for both indicators, especially since 2018.
Somalia has been on a good track despite still low rank in Overall Governance according to the 2024 IIAG report.
Somalia is the 3rd most improved country (+6.8), despite its rank remaining 53rd for the majority of the decade.
Somalia has improved in 14 out of the 16 sub-categories, with double-digit increases in six: Public Administration (+20.1), Social Protection & Welfare (+19.6), Participation (+13.7), Sustainable Environment (+12.2), Rule of Law & Justice (+12.0) and Business & Labour Environment (+10.3).
Although Somalia has declined in Security & Safety between 2014 and 2023, this has only been marginal (-0.2) and largely driven by the indicator Absence of Forced Migration (-10.9).
On a positive note, within this sub-category, Absence of Violence against Civilians has shown progress (+12.8).
Somalia has registered significant progress above 50 points in Decent Housing (+53.8), ranking it 4th out of the entire continent, and Law Enforcement (+50.0).
Overall, the country has registered double-digit progress in 28 indicators with Business & Competition Regulations (+10.0) at the ‘bottom’ of those.
Key democratic measures are among the top ten most improved indicators: Democratic Elections (+25.2) and Freedom of Association & Assembly (+25.0). At the same time, Media Freedom (-6.7) is among the ten most declined.
