16 African states, including seven from ECOWAS, meet the minimum requirements for fiscal transparency as defined by Washington. Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso are among these countries.

As part of the 2021 edition of its budget transparency report, the US State Department took into account 141 countries around the world. Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso are the only ones in WAEMU to be part of the first category of classification, comprising countries that regularly publish reliable and accessible budgets and financial documents. A total of 16 African countries are included in this group, seven of which are part of ECOWAS. In addition to the countries already mentioned, we find South Africa, Botswana, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Tunisia and 'Uganda. Nigeria and The Gambia have made significant progress in joining this year the category of countries meeting the minimum budget transparency requirements. Apart from this category, two others have been established by Washington DC, namely: the group of countries that have made significant progress and that of those that have not made significant progress in tax transparency. 12 African countries, including two from WAEMU (Benin, Guinea) are part of the second group and 25 countries are part of the third group.

2021 ranking of African countries according to the level of budget transparency (US State Department)

Country Level of budget transparency

South Africa Satisfactory

Algeria Significant progress

Angola Significant progress

Benin Significant progress

Botswana Satisfactory

Burkina Faso Satisfactory

Burundi Significant progress

Cameroon No significant progress

Cape Verde Satisfactory

Central African Republic No significant progress

Comoros No significant progress

Congo No significant progress

DRC Significant progress

Ivory Coast Satisfactory

Djibouti No significant progress

Egypt No significant progress

Eswatini No significant progress

Ethiopia No significant progress

Gabon Significant progress

Gambia Satisfactory

Ghana Satisfactory

Guinea Significant progress

Guinea-Bissau No significant progress

Equatorial Guinea Significant progress

Kenya Satisfactory

Lesotho No significant progress

Liberia No significant progress

Libya No significant progress

Madagascar No significant progress

Malawi No significant progress

Mali No significant progress

Morocco Satisfactory

Mauritius Satisfactory

Mauritania No significant progress

Mozambique Significant progress

Namibia Satisfactory

Niger No significant progress

Nigeria Satisfactory

Uganda Satisfactory

Rwanda No significant progress

Sao Tome and Principe Significant progress

Senegal No significant progress

Seychelles Satisfactory

Sierra Leone No significant progress

Somalia Significant progress

Sudan Significant progress

South Sudan No significant progress

Tanzania No significant progress

Chad No significant progress

Togo Satisfactory

Tunisia Satisfactory

Zambia No significant progress

Zimbabwe No significant progress