Midrand, South Africa – 9 January 2025 – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) held its 109th Meeting of the Panel of Eminent Persons to advance its mission of promoting good governance across the African continent. This important meeting, held virtually, aimed to assess and shape the strategic direction for the APRM from 2025 to 2028, as well as address critical governance issues that affect the region.
In her opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, CEO of the APRM Continental Secretariat, congratulated African leaders elected in historic elections across the continent, underscoring the significance of democratic processes. She drew attention to the importance of the finalisation of the 2025–2028 APRM Strategic Plan, a roadmap that aims to address Africa’s pressing governance challenges. She also highlighted the pressing need for action on governance concerns, particularly political instability in Mozambique, where findings from the 2019 APRM report called for urgent attention to political unrest and dissatisfaction in the northern regions of the country. Ambassador Rose-Quatre further noted the successful mobilisation of resources, highlighting Algeria’s voluntary contribution to support five country reviews in 2025, showcasing the growing commitment to advancing the APRM’s goals.
Ambassador Inonge Lewanika-Mbikusita, Chairperson of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons, opened the meeting by commending the APRM Secretariat for its perseverance in the face of financial constraints. She stressed the importance of ensuring that APRM’s governance reviews do not remain merely theoretical, but instead lead to tangible, actionable reforms. She further emphasized the need for the Panel to continuously strive for impactful outcomes that improve the political, economic, and social landscapes of Africa.
The key agenda of the meeting focused on the validation of the Third APRM Strategic Plan (2025–2028), a transformative document aimed at strengthening governance systems across the continent. The plan prioritizes institutional strengthening, enhancing resource mobilization, improving economic governance, and increasing collaboration with African Union (AU) organs and regional organizations. A special emphasis was placed on leveraging e-governance to increase transparency, enhance citizen engagement, and drive efficiency in governance structures. The plan also underlines the importance of early warning systems to address emerging crises and foster political stability.
The Panel also recognized the progress made in establishing the African Credit Rating Agency and approved plans for a high-level breakfast meeting during the AU Summit in Addis Ababa on 15 February 2025.
Another focal point of the meeting was the critical role of APRM’s reviews in supporting political transitions. The Panel discussed the APRM’s involvement in countries experiencing political transitions such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and the importance of facilitating peaceful transitions through actionable recommendations. The Panel also agreed on the need to ensure that APRM’s country review reports are widely accessible to the public, particularly through national broadcasters and community media, to engage local populations and ensure that findings are made actionable.
Looking ahead, the Panel reviewed the timeline for upcoming APRM events, including the finalization of the Strategic Plan and the election of a new Vice-Chairperson, which will take place during the APRM Forum in Addis Ababa on 14 February 2025. The Panel members also affirmed their commitment to aligning APRM activities with broader African Union goals, ensuring that governance reforms contribute directly to the AU’s Agenda 2063.
In closing, both Ambassador Rose-Quatre and Ambassador Inonge reaffirmed the APRM’s unwavering commitment to promoting good governance across Africa. They underscored the importance of turning strategic plans into measurable outcomes, ensuring that the APRM’s work fosters socio-economic development, political stability, and sustainable governance across the continent. The Panel reiterated that it is through collective effort and dedication that Africa can achieve lasting and impactful governance reforms.
The next meeting of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons will be held in person in February 2025, with the main focus on validating the Strategic Plan and electing the new Vice-Chairperson.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact the APRM Continental Secretariat at info@aprm-au.org.
