New insights from the Berggruen Governance Index (BGI) reveal a stark reality for Cameroon, Malawi, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, and Tanzania: despite real progress in Public Goods Provision, these gains are being propped up by rapidly rising debt and eroding governance foundations. Democratic Accountability is weakening, State Capacity is too low to sustain growth, and elections across all five countries were marked by accusations of fraud, repression, or political violence. In short, public services are improving, but the institutional scaffolding needed to support them is cracking. This dangerous dynamic is fueling a “vicious cycle” where debt drives instability, instability undermines governance, and governance failures further shrink economic opportunity. Breaking out of this trap will require bold investments in state capacity, stronger democratic checks, and coordinated international support that prioritizes long-term resilience over short-term spending.
