Peers overtake Botswana in budget transparency

Between the 2010 and 2012 editions of the Open Budget Index (OBI), Botswana's score fell from 51 to 50 points out of 100, as gauged by local independent researchers surveyed by Washington-based International Budget Partnership (IBP).

In the 2012 OBI, Botswana was ranked fifth in Africa, after South Africa, Namibia, Malawi and Ghana. In 2010, Botswana was ranked fourth after South Africa, Ghana and Namibia. Trend analysis shows that in the 2012 OBI, most African countries' performances in the ranking deteriorated, with Zambia dropping from 36 points in 2010, to four in 2012. Within the top five, South Africa, Ghana and Botswana all shed points, with only Namibia and Malawi improving their performances.