A school pupil peers out from behind a broken window in Cape Town in this February 1999 file photo. South Africa's Education Minister Naledi Pandor said in an interview on September 27, 2006, that the poor quality of public education in Africa's economic powerhouse will threaten future growth if not corrected. South Africa's economy has boomed over the past few years but the government wants even higher growth to tackle widespread poverty and unemployment. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/Files (SOUTH AFRICA) 
Image source: www.master-of-finance.org
Africa: From Top To Bottom
For the past decade, Africa's economy has been growing, on average, by 5.3% per year. But that's not the full measure of a continent. A recent study looked at 4 different pillars derived from 88 different indicators to help determine which African countries are succeeding and which ones are still struggling.
PILLAR #1: Safety & Rule of Law (21 Indicators)
Rule of Law
- Judicial Process
- Judicial Independence
- Sanctions
- Transfers of Power
- Property Rights
Accountability
- Accountability, Transparency and Corruption in the Public Sector
- Accountability, Transparency and Corruption in Rural Areas
- Corruption and Bureaucracy
- Accountability of Public Officials
- Corruption in Government and Public Officials
- Prosecution of Abuse of Office
Personal Safety
- Domestic Political Persecution
- Social Unrest
- Safety of the Person
- Violent Crime
- Human Trafficking
National Security
- Cross-Border Tensions
- Government Involvement in Armed Conflict
- Domestic Armed Conflict
- Political Refugees
- Internally Displaced People
TOP 5 COUNTRIES
- #1 Botswana
- #2 Mauritius
- #3 Cape Verde
- #4 Namibia
- #5 Seychelles
BOTTOM 5 COUNTRIES
- #48 Congo, Democratic Rep.
- #49 Central African Republic
- #50 Zimbabwe
- #51 Libya
- #52 Somalia
PILLAR #2: Sustainable Economic Opportunity (28 Indicators)
Public Management
- Statistical Capacity
- Public Administration
- Inflation
- Diversification
- Reserves
- Budget Management
- Ratio of Total Revenue to Total Expenditure
- Ratio of Budget Deficit or Surplus to GDP
- Fiscal Policy
- Ratio of External Debt Service to Exports
- Reliability of Financial Institutions
- Revenue Collection
Business Environment
- Competitive Environment
- Investment Climate
- Investment Climate for Rural Businesses
- Rural Financial Services Development
- Bureaucracy and Red Tape
Infrastructure
- Access to Electricity
- Road and Rail Networks
- Air Transport Facilities
- Telephone and IT Infrastructure
- Digital Connectivity
Rural Sector
- Public Resources for Rural Development
- Land and Water for Low-Income Rural Populations
- Agricultural Research and Extension Services
- Agricultural Input and Produce Markets
- Policy and Legal Framework for Rural Organizations
- Dialogue between Government and Rural Organizations
TOP 5 COUNTRIES
- #1 Mauritius
- #2 Tunisia
- #3 Egypt
- #4 Cape Verde
- #5 Botswana
BOTTOM 5 COUNTRIES
- #48 Eritrea
- #49 Comoros
- #50 Congo, Democratic Rep.
- #51 Zimbabwe
- #52 Somalia
PILLAR #3: Human Development (20 Indicators)
Welfare
- Welfare Regime
- Social Protection and Labour
- Social Exclusion
- Welfare Services (Health and Education)
- Equity of Public Resource Use
- Access to Water
- Access to Sanitation
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Sustainability
Education
- Education Provision and Quality
- Ratio of Pupils to Teachers in Primary School
- Primary School Completion
- Progression to Secondary School
- Tertiary Enrollment
- Literacy
Health
- Maternal Mortality
- Child Mortality
- Immunization (Measles and DPT)
- Antiretroviral Treatment Provision
- Disease (Malaria and TB)
TOP 5 COUNTRIES
- #1 Seychelles
- #2 Mauritius
- #3 Libya
- #4 Tunisia
- #5 Cape Verde
BOTTOM 5 COUNTRIES
- #48 Sierra Leone
- #49 Congo, Democratic Rep.
- #50 Central African Republic
- #51 Chad
- #52 Somalia
PILLAR #4: Participation & Human Rights (19 Indicators)
Participation
- Free and Fair Executive Elections
- Free and Fair Elections
- Political Participation
- Electoral Self-Determination
- Effective Power to Govern
Rights
- Core International Human Rights Conventions
- Human Rights
- Political Rights
- Workers' Rights
- Freedom of Expression
- Freedom of Association and Assembly
- Civil Liberties
Gender
- Gender Equality
- Gender Balance in Primary and Secondary Education
- Women's Participation in the Labour Force
- Equal Representation in Rural Areas
- Women in Parliament
- Women's Rights
- Legislation on Violence against Women
TOP 5 COUNTRIES
- #1 Cape Verde
- #2 Mauritius
- #3 South Africa
- #4 Botswana
- #5 Namibia
BOTTOM 5 COUNTRIES
- #48 Chad
- #49 Equatorial Guinea
- #50 Libya
- #51 Eritrea
- #52 Somalia
OVERALL (from four pillars above)
TOP 5 COUNTRIES
- #1 Mauritius
- #2 Cape Verde
- #3 Botswana
- #4 Seychelles
- #5 South Africa
BOTTOM 5 COUNTRIES
- #48 Central African Republic
- #49 Eritrea
- #50 Chad
- #51 Congo, Democratic Rep.
- #52 Somalia
SOURCES
- http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/downloads/2012-IIAG-summary-report.pdf
- http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/data-statistics/table-2-real-gdp-growth-rates-2003-2013/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa