Each year, Reporters Without Borders ranks countries according to the degree of freedom the media enjoys. The list for 2018 shows that press freedom varies considerably across Africa. While Ghana, Namibia and South Africa score high, countries such as Eritrea, Sudan, Burundi, Somalia and Egypt are at the bottom. What is the situation for the free media on the African continent? And how do the challenges influence transparency, accountability and the rule of law?
It's difficult to raise the issue of freedom of the media in Africa today without talking about the worrying trends in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Restrictions, arrests, censorship and media taxes reveal the level of hostility towards the media and the shrinking civic space. At the same time Zimbabwe, Angola and Gambia has seen a positive development after the departure of their autocratic presidents. But how to ensure that this development will not be short-lived?
