Namibia’s position as Africa’s freest press has waned, dropping 12 points on the 2024 Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Friday.
The country’s global ranking fell from 22 in 2023 to 34 in 2024. Mauritania now claims the title of Africa’s freest press, surpassing Namibia with a ranking of 33.
RSF editorial director Anne Bocandé warned that as more than half the world’s population goes to the polls in 2024, the decline in the political indicator is a worrying trend.
“States and other political forces are playing a decreasing role in protecting press freedom. This disempowerment sometimes goes hand in hand with more hostile actions that undermine the role of journalists or even instrumentalise the media through campaigns of harassment or disinformation,” Bocandé said.
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