Poorer African countries spend greater proportion of their budgets on social programs that benefit children, report says

"The oil-rich governments of Sudan and Angola are among the worst in Africa for looking after children, while poorer Tanzania, Mozambique and Niger are the best," according to a report from the African Child Policy Forum that ranked countries based on their health, education and social program budgets, Reuters reports.

"Poorer countries scored highest, dedicating a bigger share of their spending to social programmes, the report said, while wealthier nations, such as Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan, fared worst," the news service writes, adding that the report did not "speculate on the reasons behind the difference" (Cropley, 5/25).