The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has announced that, for a second year running, it has not found a suitable winner for its annual Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.

The award, launched in 2006, recognises former African leaders who have shown "outstanding governance of their country, brought peace, stability and prosperity to their people".

The winner receives a $5m (£3.8m) cash award paid over 10 years.

Sudanese-British billionaire Mo Ibrahim, chairman of the foundation, said the continent was facing a lot of challenges but he was optimistic there would be a winner soon:Quote Message: We need leaders who can govern democratically and translate these challenges into opportunities. With two-thirds of our citizens now living in better-governed countries than ten years ago, we are making progress. I am optimistic that we will have the opportunity to award this Prize to a worthy candidate soon.”

We need leaders who can govern democratically and translate these challenges into opportunities. With two-thirds of our citizens now living in better-governed countries than ten years ago, we are making progress. I am optimistic that we will have the opportunity to award this Prize to a worthy candidate soon.”

The Ibrahim prize was also not awarded in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018 as the committee did not find a leader who met all the criteria for the prize.

The first winner was Mozambique's former president Joaquim Chissano in 2007.

Other winners:

• Festus Mogae of Botswana (2008)
• Pedro Pires of Cape Verde (2011)
• Hifikipunye Pohamba of Namibia (2014)
• Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia (2017)
• South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela was given an honorary award in (2007)