The Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) of the World Bank, which measures yearly the performance of poor countries, shows that 20% of African countries have improved their environment to stimulate growth and reduce poverty in 2013, according to a statement from the institution obtained by PANA here.
According to the latest analysis carried out by the World Bank on public policies and institutions in Africa, eight sub-Saharan African countries have improved their overall CPIA grades while eight others have seen their grades fall.
The analysis reveals that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) shows the strongest growth, from 2.7 to 2.9, while South Sudan and Eritrea, which are currently experiencing profound difficulties, recorded lowest grades.
Rwanda is leading the ranking, alongside Cape Verde and Kenya through the deepening of reforms in their public policy in many areas.
Countries emerging from conflict, such as Côte d’Ivoire, have succeeded in significantly improving their environment, while the rating of the Central African Republic has fallen sharply because of the conflict that wiped out the progress made in terms of public policy.
“There is still much to be done in Africa to enable the region to enjoy effective public services and transparent and efficient administrations,” the Chief Economist for the Africa Region at the World Bank, Francisco Ferreira, said.
The CPIA rates countries against a set of 16 criteria grouped in four clusters: (a) economic management; (b) structural policies; (c) policies for social inclusion and equity; and (d) public sector management and institutions.
Since 1980, the CPIA ratings have been used to determine the allocation of interest-free loans and grants to 39 African countries eligible for International Development Association (IDA) assistance.
