Botswana has the best financial stewardship, leadership and foresight in Africa – the second Chandler Good Government Index (CIG), released Thursday, April 28 has revealed.
The annual index, published by the Singapore-based non-profit Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG), is built around the notion that every country deserves good leadership, sound policy and effective institutions, as well as systems that work. Based on over 50 open data sources, the index measures government capabilities and outcomes across 104 countries (about 90% of the world’s population).
The index focuses on seven pillars: Leadership and Foresight; Robust Laws and Policies; Strong Institutions; Financial Stewardship; Attractive Marketplace; Global Influence and Reputation; and Helping People Rise.
Botswana emerged the third best-performing country in Africa and 60th globally after Rwanda which came second and 55th globally. Mauritius, ranked 38th globally, tops Africa. With Morocco (64), South Africa (70), Senegal (71), Tunisia (72), Egypt (73), Ghana (73) and Namibia (78) making Africa’s top 10.
Botswana however scored better than all African countries and is ranked 16th in the world on the “Leadership and Foresight” pillar.
According to the CIG report, “leadership makes a difference. What public sector leaders decide, do, or say impacts public trust in government. Good leaders create and sustain cultures of integrity, competence and service. They have a clear sense of medium- and longer-term pathways for their government and country. They cultivate the foresight needed to anticipate emerging challenges and opportunities.” The “Leadership and Foresight” pillar is a compound measure for “Anti- Corruption, Long Term Vision, Adaptability, “Strategic Prioritisation and Ethical Leadership.”
According to the CIG, “Anti-Corruption” is described as “the control and prevention of the abuse of public power for private benefit. Long Term Vision” is about “the ability to develop and express the desired goals and destination for the nation over a longer period of time. Adaptability measures the ability to respond to “various trends and changes with appropriate strategies, policies, and actions”. Strategic Prioritisation on the other hand measures the ability to develop “longer-term plans and decision[1]making frameworks that focus on important goals and outcomes Innovation. the capacity for learning, and the generation, adaptation, and application of ideas” while Ethical Leadership is all about “positive moral values and standards that leaders possess and demonstrate”
Botswana also scored better than all countries in Africa on the “Financial Stewardship” pillar and is ranked 23rd globally. Commenting on the Financial Stewardship Pillar, the CIG stated that,
“How governments acquire, allocate and distribute public funds has far-reaching consequences for citizens and businesses. To sustain a country’s prosperity, governments must ensure sound and prudent management of public revenue and expenditure. Those that manage and account for their spending well achieve better value for money. Good financial practices improve public trust in government. They also enhance confidence in a government’s ability to repay debt, lowering the cost of sovereign borrowing.”
The Financial Stewardship Pillar looked at “Government Debt, Country Budget Surplus, Spending Efficiency and Country Risk Premium.” According to the CIG index, the Government Debt measure weighs the “debt dynamics and risk of a country, based on its debt-to-GDP levels, changes in debt, country credit ratings, and stage of economic development” Country Budget Surplus looks at government’s average revenue and expenditure position, based on its fiscal balance, over a five-year period. Spending Efficiency on the other hand assesses “the extent to which public spending translates into outcomes and services with minimal wastage” while Country Risk Premium evaluates “the risk of investing in a country due to its sovereign debt repayment ability and economic governance.”
The 2022 CGGI shows that countries with good governance were better prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, conducted more tests per capita, and generally experienced fewer excess deaths per capita, the non-profit says in the statement.
Following its aggressive vaccination campaign, Botswana is now the only Southern African country that has been able reverse its COVID-19 death rate – Case Fatality Rate (CFR) – to less than 1% of the infected population. Botswana has reduced its ratio of COVID-19 infected people who are dying from the disease to below 1%.
The CFR figures are also consistent with the countries’ vaccination rate. While it has the best vaccination rate in the region, with 61% of the population fully vaccinated, South Africa with a CFR of almost three times that of Botswana has only vaccinated 35% of its population. The CFR shows that South Africans who get infected with COVID-19 are three times more likely to die from the disease compared to their Botswana counterparts. South Africa has a CFR of 2,7%. Namibia which has a population the size of Botswana’s has vaccinated only 18% of its population and has a CFR of 2,5% suggesting that its infected population is about three times more likely to die from the disease compared to their Botswana counterparts.
Countries that score highest on the CGGI (Chandler Good Government Index) also have the highest levels of social mobility, the report says.
“It shows the importance of investing in enhancing the capabilities of public servants and the structures they operate within, to achieve a better and more sustainable future,” reads part of a statement.
Source: https://www.sundaystandard.info/botswana-has-best-leadership-in-africa-and-16th-globally-cig-report/
