Governance Assessments in Africa: the role of the

African Peer Review Mechanism

Samuel Cudjoe, Executive Secretary, National APRM Secretariat at the Governance for

Development in Africa – Residential School; Alisa Hotel, Accra; Monday, May 6, 2013

Presentation Outline• Governance Assessments in Africa• Why the APRM• Participation in the APRM• Leadership & Management Structure• APRM Instrument• Stages of the Peer Review Process• Achievements• Challenges• Myths and Misconceptions• Conclusion

Governance Assessments in Africa• Over the past decade governance assessments have

become increasingly important tools in Africa for monitoring whether governments are succeeding or failing in their commitments in legislation, government policies and international law – TRUST Africa

Governance Assessments in Africa

• Afrobarometer – an independent, nonpartisan survey that measures the

social, political and economic atmosphere in Africa• The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG)– An annual assessment of governance performance in Africa

• African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)– A voluntary mechanism that assesses democracy &

good political governance, economic governance & management, corporate governance, socio-economic development

Governance Assessments in Africa

• African Governance Outlook (AfDB)– Assesses African countries policy reforms in financial

governance, and their institutional capacity to implement such reforms

• African Governance Report (UNECA)• Cost of Doing Business (World Bank)• Public Expenditure & Financial Accountability

& Report (IMF)

WHY APRM?• At the end of the 1990s African leaders reviewed the

functioning of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)

• Transformation of the OAU to the African Union (AU)• OAU was government-based and dominated, but the

AU is more people-centered (Constitutive Act of the AU, 2000)

• Emphasis shifted from political struggles to economic emancipation

“My generation, the generation of the independence struggle, must give way to

new ideas – ideas of the 21st century”Rupiah Banda, former president of Zambia

WHY APRM?• Two decades of failed STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT

PROGRAMMES• NEPAD – established in 2001 as a response to

Africa’s economic marginalization and need for national strategic development capacity

• Key dimensions of NEPAD are two fold:– Accountability/Leadership – Africa taking the lead in

efforts to achieve the development vision espoused in the AU Constitutive Act

– Regional Integration – as a sin qua non for Africa’s inclusive growth and development

WHY APRM?• NEPAD has formulated a number of continental policy

frameworks– Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Plan (CAADP)– Short Term Action Plan (STAP) for Infrastructure– Programme of Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA)– Environmental Action Plan (EAP)– Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF)

• African leaders recognized that good governance and leadership are critical to the achievement of the desired growth

• At the 6th Summit of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) of the NEPAD adopted the APRM

WHY APRM?• The mandate of the APRM is to ensure that the

policies and practices of participating states conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance

• The APRM is the mutually agreed instrument for monitoring by participating member governments

PARTICIPATION IN THE APRM

• Participation in the APRM is OPEN to all member states of the African Union

• Following adoption of the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance by the AU countries wishing to accede to the APRM will notify the Chairman of the APR Forum

• This entails signing a MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING to submit to periodic peers reviews, as well as facilitate such reviews

PARTICIPATION IN THE APRM• RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES– The MOU clearly defines the following responsibilities

of the participating country– Firstly, to sign the MOU on Technical Assessments and

the Country Review Visit– Secondly, to contribute fully to the funding of the

APRM (minimum contribution of USD100,000 annually)

– Thirdly, to develop a National Program of Action– Fourthly, to ensure participation of all stakeholders in

the process

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

• CONTINENTAL LEVEL• Forum of the Heads of State and Government of the

APRM (APR Forum) – overall responsibility of the APRM• APR Committee of Focal Points *– intermediary

between the APR Forum and APR Secretariat• African Peer Review Panel of Eminent Persons(APR

Panel) – oversee the conduct of the APRM process and ensure its integrity

• APRM Secretariat – provides technical, coordinating and administrative support services for the APRM

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT• NATIONAL LEVEL• APR Focal Point – should be at a Ministerial level, or

person that reports directly to the Head of State or Government*

• National Councils/Commissions – oversee the conduct of the APRM and ensure its integrity*

• APR Secretariat – provide technical, coordinating and administrative support to the Councils/Commissions

• Independent Technical Review Institutions

APRM INSTRUMENT• 80 page questionnaire• 4 key themes– Democracy and Good Political Governance– Economic Governance & Management – Corporate Governance– Socio-Economic Development

APRM INSTRUMENT• DEMOCRACY & GOOD POLITICAL GOVERNANCE

(objectives)– Entrenching Constitutional Democracy and Rule of Law– Upholding the Separation of Powers– Prevention and Management of Intra- and Inter State Conflicts– Promotion and protection of Civil and Political Rights– Ensuring Accountable, Efficient and Effective Public Service

Delivery– Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women– Protection and Protection of the Rights of Children and Young

Persons– Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Vulnerable Groups,

including Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees

APRM INSTRUMENT• ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT– Design and Implement Economic Policies for

Sustainable Development– Encourage Ownership and Participation of Key

Stakeholders in Policy Formulation and Implementation

– Promote Sound Public Financial Management– Fight Corruption and Money laundering– Accelerate and Deepen Regional Integration in the

Monetary, Trade and Investment Domain– Develop and Implement Trade and Investment

Policies that Promote Economic Growth

APRM INSTRUMENT• CORPORATE GOVERNANCE– Promoting an Enabling Environment and Effective

Regulatory Framework for Business Organizations and other entities

– Ensuring Effective Leadership and Accountability of Organizations

– Ensuring Ethical Conduct within Organizations– Ensuring that Organizations Treat Stakeholders

Fairly and Equitably– Ensuring that Organizations Act as Good Corporate

Citizens

APRM INSTRUMENT• BROAD-BASED SUSTAINABLE SOCIO-

ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMNT– Promote and Accelerate Broad-based Sustainable

Socio-Economic Development– Encourage Broad-Based participation in

Development– Poverty, Unemployment and Inequality– Progress towards Gender Equality

STAGES OF THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS

• STAGE 1: PREPARATORY STAGE– Country Support Mission to access readiness– Administration of the APRM questionnaire which covers

the four thematic areas– Preparation of the Country Self Assessment Report

(CSAR) and preliminary National Program of Action (NPOA)

– Both CSAR and NPOA are submitted to the APR Secretariat

– APR Secretariat prepares Background Document through desk research

– An Issues Paper is prepared to guide the Peer Review

STAGES OF THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS

• STAGE 2: COUNTRY REVIEW MISSION– Under the leadership of the APR Panel, the Country

Review Team (CRT) visits the country to hold the widest range of consultations – Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, political parties, trade unions, private sector, civil society, media, academia and professional bodies

– Purpose is to learn about the perspectives of the different stakeholders on governance in the country and build consensus of how challenges could be addressed

STAGES OF THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS• STAGE 3: COUNTRY REVIEW REPORT– The report is prepared based on the Background

Document, CSAR, Issues Paper and information gathered during the Review Mission

– The report also takes account of the political, economic and corporate governance and socio-economic development commitments made in the NPOA

– Draft Report is first discussed with the Government concerned to give it the opportunity to react to the findings

– The responses from the Government is appended to the report

– The country finalises its NPOA

STAGES OF THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS• STAGE 4: THE PEER REVIEW– The Country Review Report is submitted to the APR

Forum for consideration– If the government shows a demonstrable will to rectify

the identified shortcomings, then participating Governments must provide what assistance they can

– If the necessary political will is not forth coming, the participating governments should engage in constructive dialogue

– Should this fail the Government is put on notice of their collective intention to proceed with appropriate measures within a given timeframe

STAGES OF THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS• STAGE 5: FINAL/DISSEMINATION STAGE– Six months after the consideration of the Report by

the APR Forum, it is formally and publicly tabled in key regional and sub-regional structures such as the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), Pan African Parliament (PAP), the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the AU, etc

– It is simultaneously publicly launched in the reviewed country.

ACHIEVEMENTS• Thirty-three countries have accededREGION COUNTRYWEST AFRICA BENIN, BURKINA FASO, GHANA, LIBERIA, MALI,

MAURITANIA, NIGER, NIGERIA, SENEGAL, SIERRA LEONE, TOGO

CENTRAL AFRICA CAMEROUN, CHAD, GABON, SAO TOME & PRINCIPE, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, RWANDA

EAST AFRICA DJIBOUTI, ETHIOPIA, KENYA, TANZANIA, UGANDA, MAURITIUS

NORTH AFRICA ALGERIA, EGYPT, SUDAN, TUNISIASOUTH AFRICA ANGOLA, LESOTHO, MALAWI, MOZAMBIQUE,

SOUTH AFRICA, ZAMBIA

ACHIEVEMENTS• 17 countries have completed the review

• Second Review – KENYA*

REGION COUNTRYWEST BENIN, BURKINA FASO, GHANA, MALI,

NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONECENTRAL RWANDAEAST ETHIOPIA, KENYA, TANZANIA, UGANDA,

MAURITIUSNORTH ALGERIASOUTH LESOTHO, MOZAMBIQUE, SOUTH AFRICA,

ZAMBIA

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Citizen involvement in national dialogue– The APRM puts the citizens at the heart of the

country self assessment– The voices of citizens are captured in the CSAR– It is citizens NOT governments that tell their story,

their lived experiences

ACHIEVEMENTS• Influence on policy– GHANA – Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy

(GPRS II). The NPOA was mapped onto the GPRS II– Key initiatives: Northern Development Fund (expanded

into Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)

– Establishment of the Ministry of Chieftaincy & Culture– Key legislation – Whistleblower Protection Act,

Financial Administration Act, the Internal Audit Agency Act

– Informed the Constitutional Review

ACHIEVEMENTS• Heads of State and Government met in Cotonou,

Benin in October 2008 to discuss the cross-cutting issue of Managing Diversity

• Domestication of standards and codes– National laws and policies are been reviewed to

conform to the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance, and other ratified codes and standards

CHALLENGES

• The challenge of self assessments– Unlike traditional assessments where countries

stand to lose some form of assistance, self assessments lack the “teeth to bite”

• Independence of the National Governing Councils/Commissions– NGC critical to protect the integrity of the process– Presence of Cabinet Ministers can be intimidating– In some cases the APRM Secretariat is under the

Presidency

CHALLENGES

• Bulky survey instrument– Challenges in administering the questionnaires– Translating into national languages to reach a

greater number of people– National capacities to undertake such exercises

(Rwanda relied on Kenyan institutions; Togo unable to proceed because of similar challenges)

• “Shopping list” NPOA

CHALLENGES• Secrecy surrounding the Country Self

Assessments Report– Idea is not to politicize the findings of the report– But it is the citizens’ report and they have a right

to validate the findings– Case of Ghana (during national validation when

the document had not been circulated)– Case of South Africa (where a technical review

institution published the draft document on its website)

CHALLENGES

• IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NPOA– The NPOA is intended to be merged into National

Development Plans to ensure implementation– Where the Review occurs in the middle of a

development cycle (Medium Term Expenditure Framework) poses challenges

– Misconception of who implements (Nigeria NGC wishing to control NPOA budget)

CHALLENGES• Government reactions to the CRR– Rwanda (gachacha judicial system; press and

opposition freedoms)– South Africa (genocide)– Kenya (ethnic politics (1st), settlement of internally

displaced persons (2nd)– Mali (marginalization of the north)– Ethiopia (market and financial reforms; opening up

political space)– Uganda (space for opposition)– Ghana (Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs)

CHALLENGES• Cynicism – Past attempts to set out continent wide initiatives have

been unsuccessful due to questionable leadership and ownership

– Lagos Plan of Action and Financial Act of Lagos (1980)– African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment

for Socio-Economic Transformation (1989)– Africa’s Priority Programme for Economic Recovery (1986

– 1990)– The African (Arusha) Charter for Popular participation and

Development (1990)– Abuja Treaty (1991)– Cairo Agenda (1994)

“NEPAD and APRM are “neo-liberal” economic prescription and self imposed form of structural adjustment. They are a continuation of failed IMF/World Bank policies, re-decorated and presented as African-led and inspired”

Critics of NEPAD

CHALLENGES• Acceding to the APRM– Insufficient preparation at the country level– It is a Head of State and Government that agrees

to sign up to the process. Civil society is principally excluded and as a result a critical mass of society are not fully involved before acceding

– Ownership therefore becomes a challenge and serves as a catalyst for its rejection

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS • ASSESSMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE

EXECUTIVE– The assessment covers all stakeholders including

the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, private sector, civil society organizations, etc

• AFRICAN COUNTRIES CANNOT HOLD THEMSELVES TO STANDARDS– Countries in the West African Economic and

Monetary Union (UEMOA) have demonstrated with respect to financial, monetary and trade standards

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS• APRM WILL RANK COUNTRIES– The APRM recognizes that countries are at different

stages of political and economic development. The essence of the APRM is peer learning and willingness to change

• APRM IS A NEO-COLONIAL IMPOSITION– NEPAD is changing the donor/recipient relationship to

a partnership of mutual obligations and accountability– The APRM seeks compliance with the provisions of

standards and codes which have been ratified by African states

CONCLUSION

• The impact of the APRM has been mixed. It is helping to improve the governance landscape of Africa while notable challenges remain.

• 10 years after the adoption of the APRM, 33 countries representing over 76 percent of the population of Africa have acceded.

• Democratic practices are becoming a norm rather than the exception. Ghana and Kenya have demonstrated that election disputes can be settled in court rather than on the streets

CONCLUSION• Media plurality and growth is affording

citizens greater freedoms of expression.• Better management of the economies are

creating opportunities for growth for citizens in Africa.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION