Cabo Verde in top three African countries for quality of public policies and institutions

Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) is in the top three countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest quality public policies and institutions, according to a list drawn up by the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group.

In the recently released ranking for 2017, Cabo Verde is in 3rd place, with 3.7 points (out of a maximum of 6), behind Rwanda (1st with 4 points) and Senegal (2nd with 3.8 points).

The analysis covers 38 countries and measures their progress in strengthening the quality of public policies and institutions.

Countries are ranked on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest) based on 16 development indicators from four categories: economic management, structural policies, social inclusion and equity policies, and management of public sector institutions.

With the same score as Cabo Verde in the IDA ranking are Kenya and Tanzania.

Mozambique is slightly above the study average for sub-Saharan Africa (3.1 points), with 3.2 points.

Sao Tome and Principe has a score of 3.1 points, equal to the average, and Guinea-Bissau is among the worst, with 2.5 points, ahead only of South Sudan, Eritrea and Sudan.

Overall, IDA figures are stable in relation to 2017, after having deteriorated in 2016.

Punam Chuhan-Pole, chief economist at the World Bank and lead author of the report, said last year that, “African countries have benefited from a more favourable global environment that gave them room to reform.”

Among the main risks identified for African countries are those related to conflict, the impact on commodity prices and climate change.

The rating, known by the acronym CPIA, has a direct impact on the financing of countries assisted by the World Bank: a better score can increase the amount of financing on preferential terms granted by the development finance institution.

Founded in 1960, the IDA allocates subsidies and low-interest or interest-free loans for projects and programmes that stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve the lives of the poorest populations. (macauhub)