• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Analysis, scores and results
• African Peer Review Mechanism

Sub-Saharan Africa

African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) reflects a fundamental shift in Pan African thought in its attempt to formalise an early warning mechanism to avert political and economic crises in Africa. It advances the acceptance of the African Union and of the tentative and limited modification of the notion of sovereignty in Africa.

This paper argues that in comparison with the other peer reviews instituted worldwide including the OECD which invented the modern peer review process, the APRM is unprecedented and unique both in its scope and breadth, with the review process extending to all levels of government, parliament and the judiciary as well as the private sector and civil society.

The author says there is now a concrete demonstration of African countries’ commitment to addressing governance issues forcefully. As the most important innovative component of The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), it conveys an unequivocal message of hope to all the peoples of Africa.

However, the challenge for African countries undergoing the process is how to institutionalise the national dialogue and consultation processes around key governance issues engendered by the APRM and implement the project and programmes identified in the National Programmes of Action, including mainstreaming these plans with other national development processes.

A number of post review challenges are also emerging. These include inadequate financial, human and institutional capacities to implement effectively the national programmes of action (NPOA); and the difficulties in harmonising the NPOA with existing national processes and agenda.

• Full text of document
• Publisher details
• Send to a friend