APRM hailed for improving governance in Africa

The South African Minister of Public Service and Administration, Collins Chabane, has commended the contributions of the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, to the successes recorded in Africa regarding improved governance.

Chabane made the remark on Saturday, September 06, 2014 during a press conference of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons and Focal Point, which held at the Radisson Gautrain Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the member states of the African Union, AU, as a self-monitoring mechanism.

Minister Chabane who co-chaired the session, said the Mechanism has also improved political and macro-economic stability and has promoted an enabling environment and regulatory reforms across the continent. He urged member states to step up their support to the APRM and consolidate the gains of the governance reforms in the continent over the past decade.

The chairperson of the APR Panel of Eminent persons, H.E Fatuma Ndangiza, at the joint session, called for effective programmatic delivery through increased peer review of member countries and the implementation of the National Programmes of Action. Fatuma also highlighted the pertinent need to popularize the APRM.

On his part, the interim Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the APR Secretariat, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki said there are new measures in the secretariat to foster increased results and impact of the APRM.

Dr Mayaki noted that the primary goal of the APRM is to make the mechanism the premier governance knowledge hub in Africa. He lauded African Leaders for their strategic leadership and guidance of the mechanism and its successes so far.

Mayaki also said the secretariat will strengthen cooperation with the African Union Commission, AUC, to finalize the integration of the mechanism into the structures and processes of the African Union.

South African Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ayanda Dlolo, who chaired the Focal Points meeting held earlier on Friday, September 05, underscored the importance of strengthening the administrative and financial capacity of the mechanism to support effective delivery of its mandate.

The APR Panel of Eminent Persons exercises methodological oversight of the APRM process with a view to ensuring the independence, professionalism and credibility of the process. It also oversees the selection of the APR Mission teams and appoints them to conduct country reviews.

Meanwhile the APRM Focal Points Committee is an intermediary between the APR Forum and APRM Secretariat comprising the Personal Representatives of Heads of State and Government participating in the APRM. This Committee exercises managerial oversight of the APRM Secretariat.

The African Peer Review Mechanism, an initiative of the African Union, was established in March 2003 by the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee, HSGIC, of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD.

It is an instrument for self-monitoring and good governance for Member States. Currently, the APRM has 34 member states that have voluntarily acceded. Of these countries 17 have completed their self-assessment exercise and have been peer-reviewed by the Forum of Heads of State and Governments.