Zimbabwe sees the greatest reduction in poverty

Zimbabwe has seen the greatest reduction in poverty among the 35 African countries surveyed as part of the latest Afrobarometer poverty survey, released on Tuesday.

The survey found that one result of the stability brought about following the formation of a government of national unity in Zimbabwe in 2008 was a reduction in poverty.

"Following the disputed and highly flawed 2008 election, a government of national unity was put into place," the survey stated.

"The previous opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change [MDC], gained control of the Ministry of Finance. One apparent result of this 'peace dividend' was a rapid fall in lived poverty..."

The country received a Lived Poverty Index (LPI) score of 1.36 for 2012, versus the 2.02 it received in 2008, a peak for the country.

Four reflects a constant absence of all basic necessities, while zero reflects no poverty.

This contrasts with Zimbabwe's 2002 score of 1.71, and score of 1.98 in 2005.

South Africa, however, saw a slight increase in poverty between 2002 and 2012, according to the survey.

South Africa scored 0.81, while in 2002 it received 0.71, 0.82 in 2005, and 0.89 in 2008.