African Peer Review Mechanism - Review

Review

The APRM process is based on a "self-assessment" questionnaire developed by the APR Secretariat. It is divided into four sections: democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development. Its questions are designed to assess states' compliance with a wide range of African and international human rights treaties and standards. The questionnaire was formally adopted in February 2004, in Kigali, Rwanda, by the first meeting of the APR Forum, made up of representatives of the heads of state or government of all states participating in the APRM.

Before the questionnaire was adopted and after the initial plans for the APRM were laid down by South Africa and others, some press reports stated that, after pressure from other African countries like Nigeria and Libya, Thabo Mbeki changed his mind and did not want political governance to be included within the APRM reviews. According to the reports, Mbeki believed that review of political governance was something for the African Union. Jean Chrétien, then president of the G8, sent a letter to Mbeki demanding clarifications and expressing his concern that these AU organs are ‘politicized’ and will therefore not produce credible reviews. In a public letter Mbeki denied the charges and stated that countries would voluntarily subject themselves to review of all aspects of good governance, including political, under the APRM, but that other AU institutions might be more appropriate to deal with some issues.

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