A Four-case-study Assessment of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) PDF Download

Author: Ulrich Bouelangoye
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Africa
Languages : en
Pages : 185

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Author: Mouzayian Khalil
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Author: Mouzayian Valerie Khalil
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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This thesis assesses the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as it has played out in Nigeria. The APRM is an initiative by the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to promote good governance through self-assessment and monitoring by African states. The APRM is particularly interesting as a continental (rather than single country) programme which puts the good governance agenda in the hands of African states themselves (rather than international financial institutions, for example). Focusing on the National Programme of Action (NPoA) of 2009 - 2012, the research finds that the APRM has had little or no impact on governance in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the NPoA's limited contributions to national development, the entire process has failed to recognise, engage and tackle the underlying socio-political dynamics of politics in the country, which have the most impact on governance structures and processes. The thesis accounts for this outcome by examining structure (through the role of actors) and underlying socio-political dynamics, both nationally and internationally. In terms of actors the research explores the role of individual leaders, NEPAD and APRM secretariats (national and continental), federal state representatives, regional and sub-regional organisations, international donors, and civil society in the APRM process. In terms of underlying factors, Richard Joseph's theory of prebendalism gives analytical power to understanding the APRM within Nigeria's political culture, while the neo-Gramscian perspective of cultural hegemony enables an analysis of the APRM within the broader international context. Both contribute to a holistic assessment of the APRM in Nigeria. Neither one of these two theoretical contributions is able to offer a comprehensive assessment if used unmodified or on their own. The APRM has the potential to open new political spaces for collaborative engagement between government and civil society in Nigeria, with the possibility of beneficial effects for governance and accountability. So far, however, this potential has not been realised. This must be judged as a significant shortcoming to date.

Author: Grant Masterson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Africa
Languages : en
Pages : 22

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Author: Ross Herbert
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Africa
Languages : en
Pages : 428

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"The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an innovative approach to improving African governance. It offers important opportunities for public dialogue but has proved politically and logistically challenging. The first in-depth study of the APRM, this ground-breaking book analyses the evolving peer review process in the first five countries. The product of a five-year research and training programme, it combines in-depth analysis of the APRM rules with an insightful evaluation of the political and social dynamics. Drawing on extensive interviews across the continent, it offers sounds recommendations to strengthen the process and deepen public participation. An invaluable resource for civil society and governments, this volume includes an interactive APRM Toolkit CD-ROM with the official APRM guidelines, final country reports, survey instruments, academic papers, video testimonials and a comprehensive collection of the governance codes and standards embraced by the APRM."--Back cover.

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Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Author: Selemo MacDonald Samuel Maleke
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Democratization
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Author: Steven Gruzd
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 16

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This paper assesses the origins of the APRM, the benefits that it has brought to the continent, and the obstacles that militate against success. To assess the impact of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), it is necessary to understand where it came from. In the Africa of the old Organisation of African Unity, the sovereignty of states was paramount and criticism of countries within the magic circle unacceptable. Today the idea that individual sovereign states should voluntarily submit their governance and economic development practices to judgment by their peers has been accepted by more than half the countries on the continent, containing three-quarters of the population of Africa. There is widespread acknowledgment that "development is impossible without true democracy, respect for human rights, peace and good governance."

Author: Yarik Turianskyi
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Africa
Languages : en
Pages : 19

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The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a voluntary scheme established in 2003 to improve member states' governance collectively and individually through following best practices and examples set by others. To date 33 African states have signed up, 17 of which have completed their first review. Signatory states undertake to be reviewed internally and externally. Those two reviews are combined into one report and the country then begins to implement its National Programme of Action (NPoA). In general, country reports succeed in pointing out successes and failures and provide a thorough assessment of the state of governance. Although the APRM is innovative and potentially headline-generating, it has so far failed to attract significant media coverage. It is aimed at improving their lives but most of the people of Africa do not know about it. This paper examines four factors that could account for the lack of APRM media coverage. They are, respectively, the unsatisfactory way reports are "packaged" for the media; whether the technicalities of the APRM are explained and understood; inadequate attempts to reach the media by APRM structures; and an APRM process that until recently excluded questions on the media from its self-assessment questionnaire. A fundamental flaw is that the APRM process gives little attention to issues of media freedom, reforms in relevant legislation and access to information. The paper includes case studies that draw on the experience of the Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project and the South African Institute of International Affairs. Recommendations are offered on how media coverage of the APRM can be improved.

Author: Tšoeu Petlane
Publisher: Jacana Media
ISBN: 1920196323
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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"African Solutions is a result of research into the policies, programmes and experiences identified as best practices in the Country Review Reports (CRRs) of twelve countries published under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), from Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. The research was commissioned and coordinated by the Governance and APRM Programme of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). To justify this inquiry, they argued, among others, that with the APRM conceived a voluntary mechanism, and in the absence of 'hard pressure' for compliance, incentives - rather than sanctions - could be the way to strengthen the APRM. Thus the importance of best practices: as templates and models for reform, and as a counterbalance to the temptation to concentrate on what is not working in Africa. In this book, therefore, best practices identified in the twelve CRRs are examined critically and methodically with a view to understanding: how they are conceptualised within the APRM (including their definition and how they are intended to be used to achieve the desired results); how the items reported as best practices qualify to be regarded as such in the sense of being demonstrably better than the rest, replicable and addressing APRM goals; and how they can be strengthened for use as material from peer learning within the APRM and around the continent"--Back cover.