The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has released its ranking of African countries in terms of governance, and the Central African Republic (CAR) is among the five least well-ranked countries. With a score of 31.3 out of 100, the CAR is significantly below the continental average. The report highlights a weakening of checks and balances and particularly poor results in education and healthcare. The CAR is ranked 50th out of 54 countries, ahead of Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, and South Sudan.
The report, published in October 2026, is based on 2025 results and analyzes their evolution since 2016. The CAR's score shows a gap of 18.8 points with the African average, which is 50.1. Over the past decade, the country has lost 0.9 points and dropped one place. The Foundation also classifies the CAR among countries where governance deterioration is accelerating since 2021.
In the area of government accountability and transparency, the CAR has lost 10.9 points between 2016 and 2025. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation cites the capacity of institutions and civil society to control the actions of leaders as a major reason for this regression. The report notes the weakening of institutional and citizen checks and balances. The Foundation mentions the departure of the President of the Constitutional Court in 2022, following a blockage of the constitutional reform process, as an example.
The report also highlights the CAR's difficulties in essential services. In education, the country scores 11.4 out of 100, tied for last place with Somalia. This category assesses school enrollment, completion of studies, teaching quality, human resources, and educational inequalities. In healthcare, the CAR ranks 53rd out of 54, with 40.7 points, ahead of Sudan. The evaluation includes access to care, maternal and child health, disease prevention, and water and sanitation.
The Mo Ibrahim Index combines 96 indicators from 51 sources, evaluating four main areas: security and rule of law, participation, rights, and inclusion, favorable conditions for economic activities, and human development. Governance is assessed through citizen security, justice, anti-corruption efforts, freedoms, infrastructure, and social services.
However, the report notes a limitation due to data availability, as the CAR is among ten countries where over a quarter of the data remains missing after statistical processing. The Central African authorities have not yet reacted to this report. The country's ranking is based on various factors, including its performance in education and healthcare, which are critical areas for development.
Despite the challenges, the report mentions an encouraging element: the adoption of a law protecting human rights defenders in 2024. However, the effects of this law remain to be observed. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation's report provides a comprehensive assessment of the CAR's governance, highlighting areas that require attention and improvement.
Key points
- The Central African Republic ranks 50th out of 54 African countries in the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's governance index.
- The country's score of 31.3 out of 100 is significantly below the continental average of 50.1.
- The report highlights weaknesses in education, healthcare, and governance, with a decline in checks and balances and accelerating deterioration of governance since 2021.
