Maintaining momentum? Civil society and the APRM in Zambia

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is intended to assist member states to identify and eradicate governance problems. The review of Zambia found positives as well as negatives in the country’s governance
practices. Without the participation of civil society and on a very modest budget the APRM is, however, struggling to bring about positive change.

This policy briefing looks at when and why enthusiasm for the process began to wane, taking into account that Zambia was once pioneering innovative practices in conducting the review. Civil society, government and development partners in Zambia all recognise that the APRM could play a central role if utilised effectively. Overcoming current challenges could be achieved by ensuring that the APRM once again becomes a countrywide process given due prominence in Zambia’s development planning.

Recommendations:

• civil society must work with the media to ensure that coverage – hence public awareness – is increased. Similarly, the Zambian government needs to continually inform media and civil society of progress in implementing the National Programme of Action (NPoA)
• future national development plans should include clear references to the APRM, both to ensure
  that it is implemented and to raise the mechanism’s public profile
• government and civil society have to work together to ensure broad ownership of the APRM, including surveying progress at the local level
• the continental APRM Secretariat needs to provide sufficient guidance to member states in budgeting for NPoAs.