African Peer Review Mechanism training to be held

WINDHOEK, 13 APR – The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) will hold a training workshop for civil society organisations (CSOs) and stakeholders on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The two-day training on the APRM, established in 2003 as a self-monitoring initiative to promote good governance in Africa, will take place from 17-18 April at a lodge outside Windhoek.
The purpose of the APRM is “to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration”, according to its founding documents. This is done “through reinforcement of best practices, including identifying deficiencies and accessing the needs for capacity building”.
The workshop includes components aimed specifically at both CSOs and Members of Parliament (MPs). Resource persons from other Southern African countries that have completed APRM reviews will be invited to share their experiences and expertise at the workshop, promoting peer learning, as will members of the Pan-African Parliament APRM Network. The workshop will cover APRM basics, experiences of other SADC countries in the APRM, and focus on how civil society and MPs can make a significant and practical difference in Namibia’s APRM process.
SAIIA and IPPR in a statement on Wednesday said Namibia became the 36th African Union member state to voluntarily accede to the APRM in January 2017.
They said this move signalled President Hage Geingob’s commitment to government to open governance, reducing corruption and promoting the rule of law.
The statement said the APRM’s rules require that civil society is meaningfully involved in each country’s review process. Together with government and the private sector, the country’s civil society will diagnose governance strengths and weaknesses, and develop appropriate and applicable remedies.
There are six states in the SADC region that have been reviewed: South Africa (2007), Lesotho and Mozambique (2009), Mauritius (2010), Zambia and Tanzania (2013). Two countries – Angola and Malawi – joined in 2004, but have made no visible progress, said the statement.
The other six SADC states – Botswana, DRC, Madagascar, Seychelles, Swaziland and Zimbabwe – have not yet acceded, and could possibly be persuaded to join by following Namibia’s example, the organisers said.
NAMPA