Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member State of the African Union (AU) as an African self-monitoring mechanism.

The mandate of the APRM is to encourage participating Member States in ensuring that their policies and practices conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and that mutually agreed objectives in socio-economic development contained in the New Partnership for African's Development (NEPAD) are achieved.

Kenya was among the first four African states along with Ghana, Rwanda and Mauritius, to accede to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in March, 2004 in Abuja Nigeria. More information about the APRM Process in Kenya can be viewed in the.

The Pillars of the APRM

The APRM is built upon the following four pillars:

Economic Governance and Management
The Economic Governance and Management pillar seeks to examine progress made in the implementation of the National Programme of Action, as regards this thematic area. It shows the accomplishments made between July 2008 and December 2008. It highlights key challenges that Kenya is facing in implementing the National Programme of Action, and further incorporates the voices of the people, as far as economic growth and development is concerened.

APRM Structure
The APRM is headed by the African Peer Review Forum of Participating Heads of State and Government (APR Forum), which oversees the Panel of Eminent Persons. The Chair rotates annually among the Eminent Persons. The Panel of Eminent Persons oversees the APR Secretariat. Under an AU decision, NEPAD and the APRM will be integrated into the AU; the APR Forum decided in June 2009 that operationally, the APRM is autonomous from the AU.

APRM Process
The APRM process starts with the preparation of a self-assessment report, which is based on a questionnaire developed by the APRM Secretariat. The APRM Country Support Mission, led by one of the Eminent Persons (Graça Machel in the case of Kenya) visits the country and judges the process of self-assessment and the drafting of a National Programme of Action. The subsequent APRM Review Mission holds extensive consultations in the country and prepares a report based on the self-assessment and own findings. This APRM Country Review Report is presented to the APR Forum, and the President of the country concerned submits to peer review, the peers being the Presidents of other participating countries.  So far, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, Benin, Uganda, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Lesotho have been reviewed.

APRM Contributions in Kenya
Vision 2030 has been built on the APRM pillars of political, economic, corporate governance and socio-economic development. The Waki and Kriegler reports used the findings of the Country Review Report. This Report is still widely referred to by donors and CSOs.

The President directed that 30 percent of women be recruited into public positions after having been questioned on this by his peers during the country review in Banjul. Establishment of the Ministry for Youth and for Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands was a recommendation of the Country Review Report. Finalization of a national land policy was another recommendation, which been taken on vigorously by civil society, and led to the adoption of the policy by the Cabinet in June 2009.

APRM on the EU Agenda
The First Action Plan for the Implementation of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy includes promoting the APRM as part of the Africa-EU Partnership on Democratic Governance and Human Rights, of which Kenya is a member.