The first Joint Retreat of the African Union (AU) Committee of Experts of the Fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has officially begun in Sandton, Johannesburg. The event has brought together financial experts, AU officials, and stakeholders to discuss key issues surrounding the sustainable funding of APRM governance programmes.
On the first day of the retreat, a series of presentations were delivered, covering various critical topics. These included an overview of the APRM’s mandate and achievements, a review of the 2020–2024 Strategic Plan, and a preview of the draft 2025–2028 Strategic Plan. Additional sessions addressed the AU’s budget process, the role of the F15 in budgetary oversight, and the integration challenges posed by AU rules and regulations.
Panel discussions focused on strengthening coordination between AU entities, improving the implementation of decisions made by policy organs, and ensuring the effective use of resources to support governance reforms across African Member States. Speakers and participants also called for a review and reform of the AU’s budget approval processes and budgeting methodologies to enhance efficiency and impact.
The retreat will continue today, with sessions focused on the APRM’s operational and budgetary situational analysis, the budget requirements and challenges of the various directorates' programmes, the evolving budget process, governance challenges, and resource mobilization strategies and constraints.
