The mission to promote the African Union’s ideals and shared values of democratic governance and inclusive development is at the heart of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Having revitalised the mechanism over the past four years, the APRM’s latest strategy 2020-2023 will continue its drive for universal accession, where all African Union (AU) member states voluntarily accede. Of the fifty five (55) AU member states, more than two thirds have already acceded to the APRM. The most recent accessions, those of Zimbabwe and the Seychelles, were formally announced at the 29th APR Forum Summit, moving the total number of states to accede to forty (40).
Zimbabwe, now in its second democracy, expressed its commitment to the APRM and its optimism that the subsequent peer review and resulting engagements, will benefit the people of Zimbabwe. “The APRM is assisting Africa’s leaders develop African solutions to African problems”, said Emmerson Mnangwagwa, President of Zimbabwe.
As a self- and peer-assessment instrument, APRM drives good governance. Seychelles Vice President, H.E Vincent Meriton stressed the need for African countries to learn from each other’s experiences as human resources and skills development are strengthened for the progression of the continent.
The African Peer Review Forum also announced its new Chairperson, the President of the Republic South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, taking over from the President of the Republic of Chad, Idriss Déby. President Ramaphosa highlighted that under the leadership of his predecessor in the past two years, issues of good governance in the various sectors, had been given the necessary attention and prominence.
President Ramaphosa in his acceptance remarks, emphasized that the in line with APRM’s core values of transparency and accountability, the ownership of the APRM does not rest in the Continental Secretariat alone but should be vested in all African citizens. “The APRM must be seen for what it is: a driver for change”, he added. He assured the Forum that South Africa will play its part to deepen the review processes and upscale the implementation of plans of action that are needed to improve governance in the APRM Member States.
Under President Idriss Déby chairpersonship, the APRM accomplished numerous feats, some of which include the domestication of the APRM reports, the APRM as an early warning system, and conflict prevention. “It is our wish that all African countries should join the APRM, which has already proven its worth and benefit to our people” said outgoing Chairperson of the APR Forum, President Déby.
(Also read the African Governance Report 2019 Good governance remains at the forefront of realising a unified Africa which is accountable to itself, its people and its peers.
The APRM’s goal of universal accession by 2023 is critical to the attainment of the AU’s Agenda 2063.
The Forum also discussed the Country Review Report of the Arab Republic of Egypt which was presented by the Country’s President H.E Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The Forum further assessed under the innovative and new generation reviews, the Targeted Reviews, was the Republic of Namibia. Targeted Reviews are special reviews that are short, focused and cost effective. This type of review covers a theme and/sector of interest within the socio-economic and political life of any African Union Member State.
The Forum also welcomed new Members of the APRM Panel of Eminent Dr. Hope Kivengere from the Republic of Uganda (Eastern Africa); Dr. Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika from the Republic Zambia (Southern Africa); Dr. Ousmane M. Diallo from the Republic of Mali, (West Africa) and Dr. Honore Mobonda from the Republic of Congo (Central Africa). The APR Forum is the highest governing structure of the APRM and provides political leadership and strategic guidance. The APRM is an organ of the African Union whose aim is to encourage the adoption of policies, standards and best practices that lead to good governance.
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