Lisbon, April 30, 2026 (Lusa) - Most member states of the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) rose in the press freedom index, while Cabo Verde and Angola dropped, a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report said on Thursday. Among eight of the nine member states in the index, as the report excludes São Tome and Príncipe, Cabo Verde holds the second-best position at 40th, directly after Portugal at 10th, following a drop of 10 places.
RSF said Cabo Verde "stands out in the [African] region for providing a favourable working environment for journalists," as the constitution guarantees press freedom.
"However, the government directly appoints the directors of state media, which dominate the media landscape," the organisation said to explain the drop.
Angola recorded the worst result among CPLP members, falling nine places to 109th. RSF said, "censorship and information control still weigh heavily on journalists."
Although Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea rose in the rankings compared to 2025, RSF said authorities in these countries control information and media. Professionals in the sector often face threats and physical assaults. "The state exercises rigid control over the media. There is no independent media, and authorities can dismiss journalists who do not submit to official censorship. In state media, public interest information regarding pandemics and serious accidents, for example, is relegated to the background," the organisation said regarding Equatorial Guinea.
Mozambique rose two positions to 99th. Brazil climbed from 63rd in 2025 to 52nd in 2026. Timor-Leste, which held 39th place in 2025, now ranks 30th.
The index shows South Africa is the best-placed African country at 21st, while Eritrea remains at the bottom of the global ranking in 180th place. RSF said global press freedom reached its lowest level in 25 years, primarily due to the criminalisation of journalism.
Norway topped the list again as the only country to achieve an "excellent" score of 92.72 out of 100, with the Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden and Finland following.
Niger suffered the largest drop in 2026, falling 37 places to 120th. This illustrates the deterioration of press freedom in the Sahel, where armed groups and military juntas frequently launch attacks.
DGYP/LYT // ADB.
Lusa
