AN OVERVIEW OF THE AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM Ferdinand Katendeko, APRM Secretariat, Midrand

1
AN OVERVIEW OF THE AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM
Ferdinand Katendeko, APRM Secretariat,
Midrand
2
Outline of the Presentation

• Background
• Principles of APRM
• Four Themes of APRM
• Operational structure of APRM
• Status of implementation
• Challenges
• Overcoming challenges
• Conclusion

3
BACKGROUND

• As Africa entered the new millennium, it was
  faced with development challenges exacerbated by
  a range of factors including conflict, gender
  imbalance, poverty, institutional decay,
  leadership and managerial deficit, endemic
  corruption and economic mismanagement.
• The African Union Heads of State and Government
  Summit held in Lusaka, Zambia in July 2001,
  adopted a strategic framework for rebirth and
  renewal for Africa-- The New Partnership for
  Africas Development (NEPAD) in effort to address
  the above challenges.
• The APRM was thereafter established and
  inaugurated in 2003 for advancing good
  governance in Africa.

4
Principles of APRM

• It is a voluntary self monitoring tool acceded to
  by member states of the African Union.
• The core principles of APRM are technically
  competent, credible and free from political
  manipulation.
• APRM advocates for active participation of all
  national stakeholders, including parliament,
  media, government bodies, private sector, Civil
  society organizations etc.

5
Four themes of APRM

• Democracy and Political Governance with
  objectives of addressing conflicts
  constitutional democracy Cultural and Political
  rights effective public service separation of
  powers rights of women, children and other
  vulnerable groups such as refugees and IDPs
• Economic Management and Governance dealing with
  promotion of macro-economic policies, fighting
  corruption and money laundering, transparency,
  sound public finance management as well as
  promoting regional integration.
• Corporate Governance which aims at ensuring
  enabling environment for business, adoption of
  codes, ethics and good corporate citizenry as
  well as social responsibility.
• Socio-economic Development is aimed at
  self-reliance and sustaining development,
  strengthening policies, delivery of social
  services and combating HIV/Aids, accessibility to
  services such as water, electricity, markets ICT
  as well as promotion of gender equality.

6
STRUCTURES OF THE APRM

• The overall responsibility of the APRM is vested
  in the Committee of Participating Heads of State
  and Government of the Member States of the APRM
  (APRM Forum).
• A Committee of Focal Points of all APRM member
  countries, responsible for finance and
  administration matters of the APRM
• The Panel of Eminent Persons (APRM Panel)
  appointed by the Heads of States oversees the
  conduct of the APRM process and ensures its
  integrity.
• The APR Secretariat provides the secretarial,
  technical, coordinating and administrative
  support services for the APRM.

7
APRM Structures
APR Forum
APRM Focal Point
National APRM Commission
APR Panel
APR Focal Points
APR Focal Points
Technical Research Institutions
APR Secretariat
Strategic partner Institutions UNECA, AfDB, UNDP
National APRM Secretariat

• Country Level

Continental Level
8
Status of Implementation

• To date, 34 Member States of the AU have
  voluntarily acceded to the APRM Algeria, Angola,
  Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of
  Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
  Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
  Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique,
  Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe,
  Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan,
  Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.
• 17 countries have completed the first review
  process and have been peer reviewed by the APR
  Forum Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa,
  Algeria, Benin, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Uganda,
  Mali, Mozambique, Lesotho, Mauritius, Ethiopia,
  Sierra Leone, Zambia and Tanzania.
• Countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and
  Uganda, who have completed the first cycle of
  implementation of their NPOA are now preparing
  for a second review.

9
SOME CHALLENGES FACING APRM

• Organizing national structures such as
  designating a Focal Point, establishing National
  Commission is still a challenge,
• Funding and Resource mobilization for the
  exercise
• Understanding and undertaking the self-assessment
  exercise as well as adapting the questionnaire
• Drafting appropriate NPOA is still a problem to
  some countries
• Continuity of National Council/Commission
• Involving all stakeholders in the mechanism.
• Complying with the timeframe of the review
  exercise

10
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

• Simplifying questionnaire and translating into
  local languages
• Securing funding such as establishing a Trust
  Fund
• Involving TRIs in the development of the NPOA
• Countries need to be sensitised by the Advance
  Missions and assist to establish concrete
  structures
• Follow-up Missions to ignite stalled processes
  to catch up with timeframes
• Need for sensitising on the NPOAs.
• Involvement of all stakeholders in the process

11
CONCLUSION

• Despite its shortcomings, the APRM is
  unprecedented tool of governance in the history
  of this continent and even in the world.
• The APRM is a promising tool to identify key
  areas of intervention of governance and to set
  priorities for reform in Africa.
• All stakeholders including parliamentarians,
  CSOs, government, private, media need to embrace
  and support it for realisation of good governance
  on the continent.
• With the APRM, Africa is show-casing the
  continents innovative thinking on governance.

12

• Thank you for your kind attention.
• CONTACT
• APRM SECRETARIAT
• P.O.BOX 1234, MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA
• TEL [phone]
• FAX [phone]