Addis Ababa, 14 January 2025 - H.E. Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, CEO of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), addressed the 49th Ordinary Session of the African Union Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), highlighting the continued efforts and initiatives of the APRM to address governance challenges across Africa. In her remarks, Ambassador Quatre emphasized the strategic alignment of the APRM with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration 3, which envisions an Africa characterized by good governance, democracy, human rights, justice, and the rule of law.
Ambassador Quatre reflected on the findings of the 2024 Mo Ibrahim Foundation Index on African Governance and the Africa Governance Report 2023, which revealed stagnation in governance across the continent. This, she noted, underscores the urgency for collective action to strengthen governance frameworks and improve the quality of leadership in African countries. She called for the APRM to be sufficiently resourced in order to execute its mandate effectively and achieve tangible results in addressing governance challenges.
Since assuming office, Ambassador Quatre has introduced the 3P Internal Strategy (Professionalism, Performance, and Probity), aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness, internal capacity, and team cohesion within the APRM. In addition, the APRM has worked to ensure the regular functioning of its continental structures, including National Structures, the Panel of Eminent Persons, and the Focal Points Committee, to improve efficiency and coherence in its work.
A key milestone for the APRM will be the APRM Forum of Heads of State and Government, set to meet physically for the first time in five years during the upcoming AU Summit in February 2025. The forum will include peer reviews of countries such as Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, and Senegal, marking an important step in strengthening governance across the continent. Ambassador Quatre also highlighted the upcoming Third APRM Strategic Plan (2025-2028), which will focus on priority areas with continental scope and measurable impact and will be evaluated using the Balanced Scorecard approach to monitor progress.
Ambassador Quatre also announced that the APRM is working closely with the Department of Economic Affairs on the operationalization of the African Credit Rating Agency. This initiative, which aims to reform Africa’s financial institutions, will be discussed at the High-Level Presidential Breakfast scheduled for 15 February 2025, where private sector stakeholders and governments will come together to explore its operationalization.
Despite financial constraints, the APRM has finalized the Africa Governance Report-2025 on Natural Resources Governance, which will be presented for validation and adoption in February. The report is expected to contribute to discussions on innovative financing and reparations for Africa’s development.
Ambassador Quatre also highlighted APRM’s support for countries in political transition, pointing to a successful mission to Gabon, where the APRM secured a commitment from the Transition Authorities to undertake a Governance Gap Analysis. This commitment underscores the APRM’s role in supporting political transitions and ensuring the establishment of strong governance frameworks in such contexts.
In her concluding remarks, Ambassador Quatre appealed to the AU Member States for increased financial support for the APRM. She noted that the APRM’s current budget is heavily reliant on external partners, with only 20% of funding coming from statutory contributions by Member States. This, she stated, creates sustainability issues and goes against the AU’s goal of self-sufficiency. Ambassador Quatre urged Member States to prioritize adequate funding for the APRM to ensure the Mechanism can continue its important work of promoting good governance and democracy across the continent.
Ambassador Quatre closed her speech by quoting Nelson Mandela, urging AU Member States to work together with a spirit of Pan-Africanism to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of Africa’s people.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact the APRM Continental Secretariat at info@aprm-au.org.
