Background
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument, voluntarily acceded to by member states of the African Union as a self-monitoring mechanism. African ownership and leadership characterize the APRM’s mandate.
Objectives
The overarching goal is for all participating countries to accelerate their progress towards adopting and implementing the priorities and programs of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) through achieving mutually agreed objectives and compliance with best practices with regard to each APRM area of governance and development, namely:
- Democracy and political governance
- Economic governance and management
- Corporate governance
- Socio-economic development.
The Bank has been lending its support to the African Peer Review Mechanism together with its strategic partners, the UNDP and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, ever since the Inaugural Summit of the APRM Committee of Participating Heads of State and Government (APR Forum) in 2004.
More specifically, the Bank was designated by the APR Forum of Heads of State as a strategic partner in the field of economic and corporate governance, including banking and financial standards.
Activities
The Bank has been involved in all country reviews, including the three reviews in 2009, namely those of Lesotho, Mali and Mozambique.
Based on country experiences, it has been decided that there is a need to fine tune and streamline the APR process to make it more concise and simple administratively. In 2010, the Bank is providing financial and technical assistance to a Secretariat-led revision of the APRM Questionnaire. This revision includes a country self-assessment instrument and the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework to oversee and report implementation progress of National Program of Actions at Regional Member cCountries' levels and to provide a basis for consistent reporting to the Panel and the Forum.