Africa: Eritrea remains no go area but Africa improves press ratings

More African countries are moving up into the top half of the Reporters Without Borders annual press freedom index each year thanks to their progress in the fight against impunity and the abolition of prison terms for press offences such as libel and slander and the printing of inaccurate news, says the Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2005 published by Reporters without Borders. While those that usually respect press freedom – Cape Verde (29th), South Africa (31st), Mauritius (34th) and Mali (37th) – kept their positions in 2005, Mozambique jumped from 64th to 49th place.