• There are no countries in this region ranked as ‘Open’ – and nearly a quarter of the region’s population lives in a country ‘In Crisis’.

• Over the last decade, 20 countries experienced declines in expression, 5 of which were significant (score drops of at least 20 points). The largest drops were in Burkina Faso (a decline of 49 points), Mozambique (32 points), and Togo (29).

• Only 3 countries in the region advanced in expression over the last decade, and only 1 of those was significant: The Gambia, which advanced by 64 points, and which was an outlier.

• Despite the regional score remaining stagnant, 4 countries experienced declines in expression in the last year, all of which were significant (score drops of at least 5 points). The largest of these took place in the same countries that experienced the largest declines in the last decade: Burkina Faso (18 points), Mozambique (18), and Togo (12).

• No countries in the region advanced in expression in the last year.