Respect for the rule of law is a crucial issue in the African context. According to recent report by the World Justice Project, some countries on the continent have made significant progress in this area in recent years. Among the countries that stand out especially in terms of justice and the law are Rwanda and Namibia. these two African nations are among the best in the sub-Saharan Africa regiondemonstrating their commitment to the rule of law.
However, Rwanda and Namibia are not the only African countries to achieve an enviable place in this ranking. Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, also joins to complete the march of the leading trio. These three sub-Saharan countries even surpass Tunisia, which is the highest country in North Africa in terms of respect for the rule of law. This ranking, based on the benchmark index established by the World Justice Project, provides an overview of the current situation of justice and law in Africa.
However, the entire African continent cannot boast of steady progress in terms of the rule of law. In fact, the World Justice Project report reveals that for most African countries the rule of law has weakened by 2023. The World Justice Project’s 2023 Rule of Law Index puts clearly an alarming reality.
In fact, more than 6 billion people currently live in a country where the rule of law has weakened between 2022 and 2023. This deterioration of the rule of law can lead to serious consequences, such as social conflicts, attacks fundamental rights and political instability. An important fact to consider is the general context of these developments.
Impacts on the quality of governance
Since authoritarian tendencies began to gain ground around the world in 2016, the impact on the rule of law has reverberated in many countries. The global slowdown observed since this period has affected up to 78% of the world’s nations, with repercussions on the quality of governance, justice and the protection of rights.
Among the factors of the rule of law that declined the most between 2016 and 2023, we can highlight a worrying trend regarding fundamental rights. These rights have experienced a decline in 77% of the countries studied, which raises questions about the protection of people and the guarantee of their fundamental freedoms. Below are the 15 African countries that respect the rule of law the most. Ivory Coast is ranked 16th, as shown in the Facebook post below.
Rule of Law Index: Top 15 in Sub-Saharan Africa
1- Rwanda: index 0.63
2- Namibia: index 0.61
3- Mauritius: index 0.61
4- Botswana: index 0.59
5- South Africa: index 0.57
6- Senegal: index 0.55
7- Ghana: index 0.55
8- Malawi: index 0.52
9- Gambia: index 0.49
10- Benin: index 0.48
11- Burkina Faso: index 0.47
12- Tanzania: index 0.47
13- Kenya: index 0.46
14- Togo: index 0.45
15-Zambia: index 0.45
