Lack of accountability, transparency among gov'ts could affect Africa's development: expert
Xinhua,April 27, 2018 Adjust font size:
KIGALI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Lack of accountability and transparency among African governments could affect Africa's development, executive director of Mo Ibrahim Foundation Nathalie Delapalme said Thursday.
"There is still lack of accountability and transparency among African governments. A lot needs to be done to ensure that African governments can be held accountable by their citizens for democratic governance," Delapalme told reporters in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
If there is no accountability and transparency in governance, there is no development, she said ahead of Ibrahim Governance Weekend, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation annual flagship event slated from April 27 to 29 in Kigali.
Key indicators of the 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance show that Africa's average governance improvement has slowed down, she said.
Over the past decade, the African average for the accountability of public officials has deteriorated, with the pace of decline worsening over the last five years, according to a report of the foundation.
The report indicates that 22 percent of Africa's population who had contact with a public service in 2015 said they paid a bribe, mostly to the police and the courts.
The three-day event will convene prominent African political and business leaders, representatives from civil society, multilateral and regional institutions as well as Africa's major international partners to debate issues of critical importance to Africa, according to organizers.
It will kick off with a leadership ceremony, followed by Ibrahim Forum, a high-level discussion forum. This year's forum will focus on public service in Africa.
Established in 2006, the non-grant making organization focuses on defining, assessing and enhancing governance and leadership in Africa through its four main initiatives including Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Ibrahim Forum, Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership and Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships. Enditem