By Francis H. Murray
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an organ of the African Union has ended its 29th review Forum Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The APRM aim is to encourage the adoption of policies, standards and best practices that lead to good governance through peer review.
The Summit which started on 8 February 2020 brought together Heads of State and Government and marked a momentous milestone for the governance mechanism as it drives for universal accession.
Key among the issues discussed was good governance which remains at the forefront of realizing a unified Africa that 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 organization stated in a press release.
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa was elected the new Chairperson of the APRM.
In his statement after his election Ramaphosa noted that his successor President Idriss Deby had led the forum with great distinction, adding that the ownership of the APRM did not rest in the Continental Secretariat alone but it was vested in all member states.
He assured the Forum that his country would play its part to deepen the review processes and upscale the implementation of plans of action needed to improve governance in the APRM Member States.
“It is our wish that all African countries should join the APRM, which has already proven its worth and benefit to our people,” outgoing Chairperson of the APR Forum and Chad President Idriss Deby said.
“Having revitalized 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,” the release further noted, adding that “of the 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 40.
Zimbabwe, now in its second democracy, expressed its commitment to the APRM and is hopeful the subsequent peer review and resulting engagements will benefit its people.
As a self-peer-assessment instrument, APRM drives good governance.
Seychelles’ Vice President, 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.
Under President Deby’s 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.
President Ramaphosa thanked Deby for leading the Forum for the past two years.
The Forum also discussed the Country Review Report of Egypt which was presented by the Country’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Also 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 APR Forum is the highest governing structure of the APRM and provides political leadership and strategic guidance.
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