The World Justice Project Rule of Law index, a new global report that ranks countries’ adherence to the rule of law, puts Botswana in the top spot for Africa and Malawi on position 5.

The diamond-rich southern state has been regarded for decades as among the best-run on the continent.

Botswana also placed near the top in the latest Index of African Governance, published annually by Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British telecoms magnate.

That guide uses a broader set of criteria going beyond matters of law. On the mainland, Botswana was first.
Indeed, on a global scale, the World Justice Project (WJP) report puts Botswana 31st and Malawi 61st out of the 102 countries measured.

The WJP report, issued in Washington, counts 18 African countries among those it measures, and uses eight yardsticks to assess how the rule of law is experienced.

It seeks to measure constraints on government powers; corruption; the openness of government; fundamental rights; order and security; enforcement of regulations; civil justice; and criminal justice.

Mr Ibrahim’s index covers a wider geographical range, including all but three of Africa’s 55 countries, and applies a broader set of criteria.

It lumps political participation and human rights into a single category.

It also measures safety and the rule of law, sustainable economic opportunity and human development, thus putting greater emphasis on prosperity.

According to this WJP report, in Africa Ghana is on position 2, Republic of South Africa on 3 and Senegal comes on 4th .