In Summary:
- Human rights lawyer, Cllr. Gonglo claimed that Rwanda is the safest country in Africa.
- We have checked his claim by consulting the World Population Review
- We found that the claim is incorrect
In an interview with OK FM on November 19 Cllr. Tawon Gonglo claimed that Rwanda is the safest country in Africa. Cllr. Gonglo was commenting on the calls for a Palaver Hut reconciliation court for Liberia, comparing it to the Gacaca court system, a traditional community court system. It provided a means for survivors to learn the truth about the death of their relatives and for perpetrators to confess their crimes and seek forgiveness from their victims’ families, as well as their communities.
In Rwanda, this court was used to address the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. Cllr. Gonglo said it played an important role in fostering peace in that country.
His comments come amid concerns about the potential impact of establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
The Claim
Cllr. Gonglo’s statement: “Peace is how people feel; so when there is peace, there will be unity, there can be no unity without peace… A lot of people in this country are living with unanswered questions and whenever they see people who are passing around with committed crimes, acting with impunity, they get angry, they get unhappy and I believe all these local remedies will now bring real peace to Liberia, you see today, Rwanda is the safest country in Africa.”
Listen to the claim here:
Rating Justification
To fact-check this claim, we reviewed the World Population Review which contains the Global Peace Index (GPI). The index offers a comprehensive analysis of a country’s level of peace, political stability, and societal safety, thus playing an instrumental role in ranking the safest countries globally.
The Global Peace Index (GPI) is published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace. It measures 23 indicators of peace, grouped into three categories: Ongoing International and Domestic Conflict, Societal Safety and Security, and Militarization. Several institutions have referenced the report here, here and here highlighting the safest countries in Africa.
According to this source, Rwanda is not listed among the top 10 safest African nations. Instead, Mauritius is ranked as the safest country in Africa, followed by Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Senegal. Notably, Liberia is ranked as the 10th safest country in Africa – this ranking only captured the 10 safest countries in Africa.
The Global Peace Index (GPI) also measures a country’s level of peacefulness based on its safety. It ranked Rwanda as the 92nd peaceful country in the world.
Mauritius which is ranked as the safest country in Africa secured the 22nd spot, Botswana ranked 50th, and Ghana 55th. Notably, Liberia is ranked as the 69th peaceful country globally.
To further fact-check this claim, we reviewed “Discover Africa,” an online travel operator specializing in luxury tours, safaris, and unique experiences across the continent. The site creates personalized travel plans to highlight Africa’s top attractions.
According to this source, which referenced the Global Peace Index (GPI), Rwanda is not ranked among the top 10 safest countries in Africa. Instead, the list includes Mauritius, followed by Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Senegal, with Liberia ranked as the tenth safest country on the continent.
Conclusion
