NEPAD/APRM KENYA Secretariat today joins all the Africa Peer Review Mechanism member states to wish you all a Happy Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Day,

This year marks the 20-year anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an initiative that was established in 2003 by the African Union (AU) with aim to promote good governance and socio-economic development on the African continent.

Over the past two decades, the APRM has played an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of governance systems across the continent and has provided leadership among the APRM member states in promoting good governance. Through its peer-review mechanism, APRM encourages African countries to assess their own governance systems and identify areas for improvement. The processes involves a comprehensive review of the Country’s political, socio-economic and Corporate Governance, as well as an evaluation of its progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, APRM is based on the principle of mutual accountability, whereby participating countries commit to peer-review one another’s governance practices in a spirit of constructive dialogue and mutual learning.

Kenya has been regarded as a beacon of democracy in the Eastern African Region. Some of the recommendations of the 1st Country Review Report (CRR) were considered in Kenya’s constitution 2010. These constitution puts the sovereignty of the people at its core while promoting good governance in leadership and institutions.  In addition, the NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat has continued to champion for the desires of the constitution and promoting good governance by being the first Country to undertake the 2nd Generation Country Review, Targeted Review on Government Agenda and pioneering the development of National Governance Report among APRM Member States.

H.E. Musalia Mudavadi (Left) the Prime Cabinet Secretary receiving the African Union Flag From Amb. Dr. Samori Okwiya, Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat.

Consequently, the aforementioned programmes undertaken by NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat cover a wide range of governance issues, including political stability, human rights, economic management, infrastructure development and social services delivery. The recommendations and findings from the reviews will further help inform policy reforms in many African countries.

In conclusion, APRM has made significant contributions to promoting good governance and socio-economic development in Africa over the past 20 years. As it enters its third decade, APRM has an opportunity to build on its achievements and continue to play a key role in enhancing governance and promoting regional integration and cooperation across the continent.