The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in partnership with the US-based freedom of expression (FoE) advocacy organisation, Freedom House Inc., will from next year (2014) analyse and rate all the 16 West African countries on conditions of FoE in the respective countries.

The annual ratings which will be called West Africa Freedom of Expression Index will rank all 16 West African countries based on an in-depth assessment of each country's conditions of press freedom, internet freedom, freedom of association and assembly, religious freedom, artistic freedom, among others.

As part of the preparatory stages for the development of the Index, a two-day experts' meeting to discuss, develop and adopt a suitable methodology for the Index will take place on March 26 - 27, 2013 in Accra. The experts, who will be drawn from West Africa and the United States, will also identify and discuss the specific indicators and weighting system to be used in rating the 16 countries

The development of the Annual West Africa Freedom of Expression Index is an initiative of the MFWA to further create awareness about freedom of expression situations in the region and to 'name and shame' countries with bad conditions as a way of putting pressure on them to reform.

Issued by MFWA in Accra on March 21, 2013