Namibia, Cape Verde, Ghana, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Botswana beat US in 2019 Press Freedom Index

By Amos Fofung

Botswana newspapers

Though regarded as a pillar of democracy, champion of freedom of the press and guarantor of the free world, the United States is repeatedly losing its grip and influence in the world with other nations, including African states, taking the lead where the “world leader” fails.

After falling short behind thirty African states in the 2018 global peace index, the US this time around came in the 48th position on Reporters Without Border 2019 Press Freedom Index. The champion of democracy, freedom of expression and the press is beaten by six African states. A stack contract of what most western media propagate.

According to the report, the countries ahead of the United States are; Namibia, Cape Verde, Ghana, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Botswana respectively. Similarly, the United Kingdom was topped by the first four African countries.

Africa, the report holds registered the smallest deterioration in its regional score in the 2019 Index but performed generally well as compared to other continents.

Of the 180 counties sampled, the first African country, Namibia comes in the 23rd position and the last being Eritrea occupying the 178th position.

The first country rated by the Press Freedom Index is Norway while Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia bordered by the Caspian Sea comes last.

The freedom of press index ranking is an annual report of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organization based in Paris that conducts political advocacy on issues relating to freedom of information and freedom of the press.

Its objective is to reflect the degree of freedom that journalists, and news organizations in each country, and the efforts made by authorities to respect such freedom.