Over the past year, press freedom across the world has deteriorated greatly compared to this year. As a result, Africa passed America in Reporters without Borders’ press freedom index published on April 20, 2016.

Be it in the south, north or center, America came down in the rankings. USA went down 8 places while Canada lost 10 places. Africa and Middle East however are the regions where journalists “are most subjected to constraints of every kind”, the Ngo said in its 2016 report on freedom of press.

“Though Africa is shining with Namibia ranking 17^th in the index, Eritrea is the last of 180 nations ranked,” RSF’s secretary-general, Christophe Deloire, told BBC. He indicated that Africa is relatively stable when it comes to respecting freedom of press.

Despite this, some countries like Burundi who fell in the rankings (-11) had their media close as a result of political crisis emerging from conflict over President Nkurunziza remaining in power.

Due to war, South Sudan lost 15 places in the rankings.

Contrarily, Tunisia who plunged in the rankings in 2014 soared back 30 places. This result is due to political stability, in spite of anti-terrorism law which threatens press.

Top 10 African countries in press freedom rankings

1. Namibia (17th)
2. Ghana (26th)
3. Cape Verde (32nd)
4. South Africa (39th)
5. Burkina Faso (42nd)
6. Botswana (43rd)
7. Mauritania (48th)
8. Comoros (50th)
9. Niger (52nd)
10. Madagascar (56th)

Assongmo Necdem