Download or read book Civil Society Input Into the African Peer Review Mechanism APRM written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The African Peer Review Mechanism written by Ross Herbert and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "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.

Download or read book Challenges of the New Partnership for Africa s Development NEDAD written by Rachel Mukamunana and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in fostering good governance practices in Africa. The APRM was established in 2003 subsequent to the launch of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in 2001, as an instrument to monitor the adoption and implementation of policies and practices that would lead to political stability, high economic growth and accelerated regional cooperation and integration as set out in the NEPAD document. The ultimate goal of the APRM is to instil good governance in Africa, which NEPAD considers the sine qua non for Africa's development. The principal finding of this study is that the mechanism of peer review through the APRM has the potential to foster good governance in Africa, and thus, to pave the way to poverty alleviation and development. The peer review process provides an opportunity for participating countries to become aware of the strengths and shortcomings in their policy-making, governance institutions and practices and to share best practices of administrative, political and economic governance. It offers a forum for dialogue, peer learning, and regional and continental cooperation in which the challenges facing African countries, both individually and collectively, can be tackled. The APRM has initiated a process of dialogue between government and other societal actors (mainly civil society and business) about governance and development issues and how these can best be addressed. This is an important step towards the consolidation of democracy and better governance in Africa. It is for these benefits and for the potential for better governance that the APRM needs all the political and financial support it can get. The APRM is, however fraught with many challenges, which are likely to impede the effectiveness of its contribution. These challenges include the voluntary nature of the APRM, its inability to enforce policy, the absence of adequate funding, poor and limited administrative resources for implementation. In addition, the weak civil society in most African states militates against meaningful participation in and contribution to the process of peer review. Addressing these obstacles is imperative for the APRM to deliver its full potential. To this end, the study proffers a number of recommendations, which include the provision of strong political and financial support from African states, capacity building of national institutions that oversee government performance, such as the parliament and civil society, and the consistent financial support of donors and the international community. The study reveals that the road to a successful and effective APRM, and thus to a peaceful and prosperous Africa may lie in the future, but the foundation for Africa's political and economic renaissance must be laid now.

Download or read book Peering the Peers written by Grant Masterson and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Role of Civil Society in South Africa s Peer Review Mechanism written by and published by . This book was released on with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: However, the role of civil society is particularly crucial because the sector has the necessary critical attitude and, most importantly, the capacity to engage with government The concern around the role of civil society in South Africa's peer review mechanism emerges within the broader question of how civil society should relate to government: both here in South Africa and elsewhere. [...] Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (the MOU) on the APRM also agreed to "ensure the participation of all the stakeholders in the development of the national Programme of Action including trade unions, women, youth, civil society, private sector, rural communities and professional associations". [...] The process The process of reviewing South Africa's progress according to the four thematic areas of the APRM (listed above) is supposed to lead to the final document to be adopted as the Country Self Assessment Report. [...] Beyond providing technical assistance in summarizing submissions forwarded to the National APRM Secretariat, TSAs implicitly carried out a monitoring role in the review process in the sense that their involvement potentially ensured that the voices and concerns raised in the submissions formed part of the Technical Report and were fully discussed at the consultative seminars. [...] The role of Parliament as a monitoring body was one of the issues highlighted in the review process both in the Technical Report and in discussions at the consultative seminars.

Download or read book Nepad and Civil Society Participation in the APRM written by and published by . This book was released on with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The factors which, according to the Nepad conception, have accentuated underdevelopment on the continent are the legacies of colonialism and the Cold War, the workings of the international economic system, and the inadequacies and shortcomings of policies pursued by African countries in the post-independence era4. [...] Positive developments on the African continent are pre-eminently the waves of democratisation since the 1990s, the establishment of bodies such as the AU which encourage African countries to adopt a more regional outlook and which strengthens the bargaining power of the continent, and the ascendancy of a new generation of African leaders. [...] Nepad's primary objectives are the eradication of poverty, the attainment of sustainable growth and development, the integration of Africa into the global economy, and the acceleration of the empowerment of women7. [...] The final Programme of Action is submitted after the country visit on the basis of the country report and the process of deliberation and discussion with the team on the basis of which it was formulated; it is regarded in the Nepad documents as the key input 42 'Country Self-Assessment for the African Peer Review Mechanism' par 2.1.2 43 ibid par 2.1.3 44 ibid par 2.1.5 23 delivered by the country. [...] The purpose of the country visit itself is to carry out a wide range of consultations with stakeholders to "learn about the perspectives of the different stakeholders on governance in the country and to clarify the issues identified in the Issues Paper that are not taken into account in the preliminary Programme of Action of the country, and to build consensus on how these could be addressed"45.

Download or read book Between Hope and Scepticism written by Ousmane Déme and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The African Peer Review Mechanism A Beneficiary Driven Process written by Lucas Nkosana Sibuyi and published by LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-17 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: South Africa is one of the countries which acceded to the APRM in 2003. Accordingly, South Africa appointed a National Governing Council (NGC) under the chairpersonship of the Minister of Public Services and Administration as the focal point to develop a strategy to manage the national APRM process. The NGC was constituted of business, the disabled, civil society, churches, trade unions, government and women's coalitions thus ensuring all relevant stakeholders are represented. As part of South Africa's country assessment, questionnaires dealing with the four core thematic areas of the APRM were sent through to the public by community development workers. The four thematic areas are democracy and good political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development. In addition, four technical assessment agencies were appointed to assist in conducting research on the four thematic areas. The primary objective of this study is to examine the theoretical approach to the study and the African Peer Review Mechanism's contemporary relevance to South Africa, its intended beneficiaries and an assessment of South Africa for the period 2006.

Download or read book The African Peer Review Mechanism written by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication is a compilation of reviews of the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), commissioned by the Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project (AfriMAP) of the Open Society Foundations. The reviews identify challenges that all stakeholders involved in reforming the APRM should be aware of and commit to resolving. The countries covered in this compilation are: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. AfriMAP's aim is to contribute to discussions on the reform and strengthening of the APRM process and to increase knowledge of this groundbreaking African initiative.

Download or read book The African Peer Review Mechanism APRM and the African Union AU the Case for Leadership and Governance Perspectives in African Public Services written by Wilson Mokete Makgalancheche and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The research investigate the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) from a leadership and governance perspective in the African public services. The research was initiated with a historiography to map out efforts that were made to unify the continent against slavery and colonialism, which were primary factors responsible for Africa's underdevelopment and poverty. National, regional and sub regional organisations have been formed to forge collective action against colonisation and the marginalisation of the continent. Each of the organisations, indicating their achievements and challenges has been discussed in this research. The research has revealed that there was a common denominator in most organisations, which revolved around creating a better continent for the African people and to restore their dignity as a people. The need for unity in Africa has received more attention, especially when Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was transformed into the African Union (AU), which focuses on development, democratic rule and good governance to tackle poverty, marginalisation and underdevelopment in the continent. What is evident in this research is the fact that African leaders are now seeking African solutions to the problems that have plagued the continent for decades. African leaders recognise that transplanted policies and initiatives are responsible for Africa's dependency syndrome and marginalisation in the development process. The research has pointed out that Africans should lead the process of African development because they are the custodians of the needs of their citizens. In order to satisfy and provide essential services and goods to their citizens African leaders should exercise effective and responsible leadership, and good governance principles in order to implement policies that would create a better life for all on the continent. In order to ensure that African public services implement appropriate policies, a monitoring mechanism has been instituted, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) through which countries are evaluated and assessed on compliance with good governance and development objectives to provide essential goods and services to the African people. The New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) as the vehicle of the AU has set out development objectives and priorities, which should be implemented by national, regional, and sub-regional organisations, therefore countries would be monitored to ensure that they comply with the aims and mandate of the AU. Effective leadership and good governance would ensure cost effective delivery of services and the provision of goods by public services. African leaders want to create genuine partnership with their citizens and international communities to ensure that poverty is eradicated and the needs of Africans are satisfied. Africa requires strong and effective leaders who identify and work for their people at all costs through proper utilisation and management of public resources for the benefit of all. Recommendations have been made for consideration by African leaders in their endeavour to create a better life for the African people based on effective leadership, the rule of law and good governance. Africans know what is best for them and therefore they should engage in collective action to achieve the African Development Goals.

Download or read book Civil Society Participation in Uganda s APRM Process written by Juliet Nakato Odoi and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ugandan NGOs faced challenges in influencing their national APRM process, but this paper shows that with resourcefulness, focus and energy, motivated groups can make a difference. In Uganda, umbrella organisations were appointed to represent civil society on the APRM National Commission. But some did not have the reach that had been assumed, and others were headed by busy people with other commitments. Two NGOs not represented were Minority Rights Group International (MRG) and Care International in Uganda, but both decided to participate in the APRM because it afforded an opportunity to raise issues that concerned their groups and to propose solutions. Crucially, President Yoweri Museveni had said the APRM would become part of government processes such as the Poverty Eradication Action Plan. MRG and Care wanted their voices heard. They submitted a position paper to an umbrella body, the NGO Forum, which had been appointed to the commission. When their concerns were insufficiently addressed in the NGO Forum's report, they brought other NGOs on board by holding a validation meeting and circulating their draft position paper, then including inputs from their new partners. The expanded report was submitted to the APRM Secretariat in Uganda and APRM headquarters in South Africa. They also participated in meetings held by the visiting Country Review Mission and submitted a brief report directly to the Mission. The author, Juliet Nakato Odoi, who has worked for both organisations, notes that participation in the APRM is time-consuming and can be burdensome but by forming partnerships and coalitions, resources can be pooled. She recommends that civil society organisations prepare in advance for participation in the APRM in their work plans and budgets.

Download or read book Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union written by Oxfam and published by African Books Collective. This book was released on 2010 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The African Union (AU) has committed to a vision of Africa that is "integrated, prosperous and peaceful ... driven by its own citizens, a dynamic force in the global arena" (Vision and Mission of the African Union, May 2004). Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union aims to take up the challenge of achieving this vision. It is a tool to assist activists to engage with AU policies and programmes. It describes the AU decision-making process and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the AU institutions. This guide aims to help those organizations that wish to engage the AU but do not currently know where to start by providing an outline of the key institutions and processes and suggesting ways to influence them. The guide is divided into three sections: *Part 1: A description of AU organs and institutions. *Part 2: Suggestions on how to influence AU decisions and policy processes. *Part 3: A summary of the debate to restructure the AU into a "Union Government."

Download or read book Defining Civil Society in the Context of the African Peer Review Mechanism written by Grant Masterson and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Analysis of the Implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Ghana Kenya and Mauritius written by Grant Masterson and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The New Partnership for Africa s Development written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Subcommittee on Africa and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Contesting Sovereignty written by Joel Ng and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-07-22 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines and compares diplomatic practices and normative change in the African Union and ASEAN.

Download or read book The African Union and New Strategies for Development in Africa written by Said Adejumobi and published by Cambria Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The early twenty-first century witnessed remarkable attempts by Africa's political leadership to promote regional integration as a means of fast-tracking economic progress, facilitating peace and security, consolidating democratic gains, and promoting the general welfare of the African people. The transition of the Organization of Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU), as well as the foisting of a new economic blueprint for the continent-the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), combined with the growing role of the regional economic communities (RECs) in harmonizing and creating subregional norms and standards in the political and economic arena suggests a new trend towards regionalism in Africa. Indeed, in the new regional integration architecture, the RECs are considered to be the building blocks of the integration process led by the African Union. This new impetus of a regional development strategy was largely prompted by the slow pace of economic progress on the continent, the increasing marginalization of Africa in the global economy, and the need to create regional resources and standards that would benefit the continent in all spheres of social life. A painful realization became obvious that small micro-states in Africa sticking to their political independence and sovereignty would hardly make much progress in an increasingly globalised world. A macro-states' approach of regional integration has assumed Africa's new strategy to intervene in and integrate with a globalizing world. The current regional trend in Africa has received very little scholarly attention especially in a systematic and comprehensive way. This is due partly to the fact that the processes are currently unfolding and there is still uncertainty in the outcomes. Poor documentation and the dearth of primary materials (especially from the regional institutions) also contribute to the lack of scholarly work in this area. This study assembles the voices of some of the most seasoned African and Africanist scholars who have constantly, in one way or another, interacted with the integration process in Africa and kept abreast of the developments therein, and seeks to capture those developments in a nuanced manner in the economic, political and social spheres. The essence of this book is to analyze those processes--teasing out the issues, problems, challenges and major policy recommendations, with tentative conclusions on Africa's regional development trajectory. The book therefore fills major knowledge and policy gaps in Africa's regional development agenda. This book is a landmark contribution in a systematic attempt to comprehend Africa's regional development strategy led by the African Union. It examines the background, nuances, and dimensions of the process, which include the basis and historiography of pan-Africanism, the transition of the OAU to the AU, the issue of popular participation in development, the NEPAD and APRM initiatives, the evolving regional peace and security architecture, and the efforts of regional institutions to facilitate democracy, human rights, rule of law and good governance on the continent. The book underscores the fact that formidable obstacles and challenges abound in the trajectory, politics, and processes of this regional development paradigm, especially as Africa navigates an uncertain future in a deeply divided and unequal yet globalised World. The book constitutes a major reference material and compendium for a wide range of readers--students and scholars of African affairs and African development, policy makers both in Africa and the western countries, regional and international institutions and organizations, and all those interested in the past, present and future of Africa's development process.