The Mo Ibrahim Foundation on Thursday
announced that there is no winner for the 2019 Ibrahim Prize for
Achievement in African Leadership.
The
award, launched in 2006, recognises African leaders who, despite
challenges, develop their countries and strengthen democracy and human
rights.
Five former presidents have
been awarded since the Prize was launched, and one other, Nelson
Mandela, was given an honorary award.
In a press statement released on Thursday, Prize Committee Chair Festus Mogae
said: “The Ibrahim Prize recognises truly exceptional leadership in
Africa, celebrating role models for the continent. It is awarded to
individuals who have, through the outstanding governance of their
country, brought peace, stability and prosperity to their people.”
Mo
Ibrahim, a British-Sudanese telecom tycoon and Chairman of the Mo
Ibrahim Foundation, said that Africa is facing great economic and
environ-mental challenges and the needs “leaders who can govern
democratically and translate these challenges into opportunities.”
But
despite the challenges, many Africans are now living in better-governed
countries than 10 years ago, he added. “I am optimistic that we will
have the opportunity to award this Prize to a worthy candidate soon,” Mr
Ibrahim said.
The Ibrahim prize was also not awarded in
2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018 as the committee did not
find a leader who met all the criteria for the prize.
PRIZE WINNERS
Mozambique's former president Joaquim Chissano was the inaugural winner in 2007. Botswana’s former leader Festus Mogae, who was appointed chairperson of the Prize Committee
in February 2020, won the prize in 2008. Other leaders awarded the
prize are presidents Pedro Pires of Cape Verde (2011), Hifikipunye
Pohamba of Namibia (2014) and Ellen Sirleaf Johnson in 2017.
Nelson Mandela of South Africa was given an honorary award in 2007.
The Ibrahim Prize is a $5 million award paid over 10 years and $200,000 annually for life thereafter.
CRITERIA
The
committee uses five criteria to select a winner. The winner has to be a
former African head of state or government; has to have been
democratically elected; and should have left office within the last
three calendar years before the award.
The candidate also has to have served only the constitutionally mandated term and demonstrated exceptional leadership.
According
to the Foundation, Mr Chissano received the inaugural Ibrahim Prize for
bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress
to Mozambique following the civil war.
Mandela
received an honorary award for his personal sacrifice and dedicating
himself to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Mogae
was awarded the second Ibrahim Prize for his role in maintaining and
consolidating Botswana’s stability and prosperity in the face of an
HIV/Aids pandemic.
Mr Pires was
awarded the 2011 Ibrahim Prize for his role in transforming Cape Verde
into a model of democracy and stability, while Mr Pohamba was awarded
the 2014 Ibrahim Prize for his role in forging national cohesion,
reconciliation and economic development.
Ms Johnson was awarded in 2017
for leading Liberia as it recovered from civil war and "working
tirelessly on behalf of the people of Liberia." She was also praised for
her efforts in reconciliation and nation building.
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