Washington, DC — Freedom House, the Washington-based independent non-governmental watchdog, has described 2008 as a year of "regression" for sub-Saharan Africa in its annual report on political rights and civil liberties.
Twelve countries – almost one-quarter of the countries on the continent – experienced a decline in 2008, said the report, Freedom of the World.
Only four – Zambia, Comoros, Angola and Cote d'Ivoire – made positive gains. Freedom House singled out the gains in political rights in Angola and Cote d'Ivoire, two post-conflict countries, for praise.
"The decline affected several of the continent's largest and most influential countries and stemmed in part from military coups, ethnic conflict, and violent attempts to suppress civil society," the organization wrote in the report.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 10 countries were categorized as free, 23 partly free, and 15 not free.
Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and Somalia all received the worst possible score. Chad, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Western Sahara scored only slightly better. All seven countries were described as not free.
Two African countries saw their categories change. Senegal was downgraded from free to partly free because of the "growing authoritarian trend in the policies of President Abdoulaye Wade, exemplified by the postponement of municipal elections." Mauritania's category changed from "partly free" to "not free" because of the military coup.
