According to the WJP Rule of Law Index, released by the World Justice Project (WJP), Ethiopia places 16th from 18 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region and 10th out of 12 low income countries. The Index puts Ethiopia’s world raking at 107 from 113 countries.
Countries measured in the Sub-Saharan Africa region are Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries that are measured as low-income countries are Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
The Index measures adherence to the rule of law in 113 countries worldwide based on more than 110,000 households and 3,000 expert surveys. Featuring primary data, the WJP Rule of Law Index measures countries’ rule of law performance across eight factors: Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice; Ethiopia’s ranking in all eight factors is low.
The top three overall performers in the 2017-2018 WJP Rule of Law Index were Denmark, Norway, and Finland consecutively; the bottom three were Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Venezuela, consecutively.
Findings of the report shows that majority of countries worldwide saw their scores decline since the publication of the last WJP Rule of Law Index in October 2016 in the areas of human rights, checks on government powers, and civil and criminal justice.
Regionally, Sub-Saharan Africa’s top performer is Ghana, supplanting South Africa from 2016 and taking 43rd place globally. Burkina Faso and Kenya saw the biggest improvement in rank among the 18 countries indexed in the region, climbing 9 and 5 spots respectively in the global rankings.
Madagascar experienced the biggest decline in rank, dropping eight spots. Overall, the region showed the most improvements in Absence of Corruption, with four countries experiencing upward trends in this category and none showing downward trends.
“Effective rule of law is the foundation for communities of equity, opportunity, and peace. No country has achieved a perfect realization of the rule of law. The WJP Rule of Law Index is intended to be a first step in setting benchmarks, informing reforms, stimulating programs, and deepening appreciation and understanding for the foundational importance of the rule of law,” according to William H. Neukom, WJP founder and CEO.
Ethiopia among lowest performers in Rule of Law Index
Business forum looks to facilitate African partnerships
Figuring how to support and promote private sector led growth in Africa was the main focus of the Africa Business and Investment Forum held at the Sheraton Addis Hotel on January 30, 2018.
The African Business and Investment Forum is a platform for African and U.S. private sector executives to share insights with African heads of states, ministers, senior United States Government officials, representatives of multilateral institutions and others.
African leaders present at the Forum underlined that the continent needs partnership instead of support when it comes to doing business.
“Today’s Africa Business and Investment Forum demonstrated a real commitment by our African leaders that they are focused on paving the way for private investors in the U.S. and the rest of the international community, to invest in Africa,” Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the U.N. Economic Commission on Africa said.
The Forum that was officially opened by Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and the current Chairperson of the African Union, was attended by heads of states of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Niger, Senegal and Mozambique.
“This is long overdue and I trust that it will become a regular event during the African Union Summit,” stated Kagame in his opening speech. He also commended the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), who held the event in partnership, for having the initiative to bring in business leaders into the dialogue of public-private sector investment in Africa.
On his part Hailemariam Desalegn stated that Africa is working tirelessly to get policy and legislative conditions right to ease the business environment and attract foreign direct investment.
“Africa has been on the investment radar of many multinationals for decades now as witnessed by increased investment in infrastructure, agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism, to mention but a few. Still Africa’s market and resource potential remains untapped,” the Prime Minister said.
He further underlined that the Ethiopian government I seeking to employ policies and strategies for positioning the country as an attractive investment destination for productive investors.
“Today was a great opportunity for UN and AU leadership to hear the voice of international private enterprises and investors who want to do business with Africa, and ensure that business relations between the U.S. and the continent continue to grow. Our CCA members, and guests at the Forum, were hugely encouraged to hear from our continent’s leaders that Africa is an attractive destination for investment,” stated Florie Liser, President and CEO of CCA.
Over 150 CEOs and senior executives of key U.S. and African companies, both multinationals and SMEs, also participated in the Forum.
They deliberated on the ongoing dialogue around Africa to increase opportunities for business partnerships, secure commitments to and tracking the adoption of business-friendly policies, and showcasing countries and policies that are contributing to an enabling environment for enhanced African regional and global trade and investment.
Discussions at the forum touched on a few topics such as trade and diversification, energy, agribusiness and health. There were also talks on what kind of day-to-day challenges the private sector faces and how these challenges are addressed.
The platform is expected to increase opportunities for business partnerships, secure commitments as well as track the adoption of business-friendly policies, and showcase countries and policies that are contributing to an enabling environment for enhanced African regional and global trade and investment, including with the United States.
‘Gender is My Agenda Campaign’ discuses corruption’s effect on women
The Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) held a meeting about the expectations of women and youth during the 30th ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of States and government that is being held under the theme ‘Winning the Fight against Corruption: A sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.’
The meeting that was attended by ECA Executive Secretary Vera Songwe came up with recommendations that will be passed on to Africa’s leaders for adoption at the AU Summit.
“The theme of this year’s consultation – ‘Corruption and Governance: Impact and way out for Women, Children and Youth’ – is both timely and important. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development agreed upon in 2015 commits the international community to leaving no one behind. Indeed, Target 5 of Goal 16 calls on member states to substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms,” Songwe said.
The meeting focused on identifying strategies, approaches and interventions that have continental implications to limit the continuous effects of corruption in governance, which hinder development, weaken the structures of community balance, promote violence and encourage the negative – yet avoidable – consequences of marginalization and ethnocentrism.
“Corruption is a multifaceted phenomenon that affects population groups differently. As is often the case, it is the most disadvantaged and vulnerable population groups that face the brunt of the adverse effects of corruption. These groups include women, children and the youth, especially those from poor households and those living in rural areas. Here I will focus on the gender-related impact of corruption,” Songwe pointed out.
She further stated that socio-cultural norms and institutional arrangements are key factors that shape the roles that males and females are expected to play in society, as well as their ability to access productive resources, accumulate marketable skills and participate in political and public life. As a result, corruption will impact men and women differently.
Data shows that in health, maternal mortality in Africa excluding North Africa accounted for two thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide in 2015. Nineteen African countries had maternal mortality rates of above 500 maternal deaths for every 100, 000 live births in 2015 – this is still high compared to a rate of 216 worldwide . This is partly due to the fact that, just 71 percent of babies are delivered by a skilled health worker in Africa. Given this state of affairs, inadequate investment in the health care system as a result of corruption, is expected to disproportionately affect women of reproductive age.
“Furthermore, women continue to shoulder the heavy burden of unpaid work leaving them less time to spend on income-generating activities and politics. Research by ECA using time-use survey data in 7 African countries shows that on average women spent between 3 to 17 times on unpaid work compared to men, including caring for young children and adults, collecting firewood and fetching water,” Songwe said.
In Africa, insufficient investment in pre-primary education and care, the health system and energy, transport and water infrastructure is seen as a result of corruption. In turn, women will have to continue to bear the burden of unpaid care work thereby potentially limiting their economic and political empowerment; that is what needs to be tackled.
