Nairobi, Kenya –11 to 14 February 2025 – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Monitoring & Evaluation Directorate participated in the Meeting of the Specialized Technical Group on Governance, Peace, and Security (GPS) Statistics (STG-GPS), convened under the auspices of the African Union (AU). The meeting aimed to revise and validate the STG-GPS Action Plan 2025–2026 as part of ongoing efforts to harmonize African statistics on Governance, Peace, and Security.
The working session focused on aligning the STG-GPS Action Plan with the priorities outlined in the Terms of Reference of the STG-GPS. Participants reviewed the Terms of Reference and proposed actionable steps to achieve the six objectives of the Second Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA-II). The APRM will play a key role in supporting AU STATAFRIC, particularly in the following areas:
- Strengthening monitoring and evaluation frameworks:
- Enhancing training and capacity-building initiatives for stakeholders; and
- Establishing a digital platform for sharing GPS statistics across the continent.
The session culminated in the validation of an ambitious yet realistic action plan, which reflects the collective commitment of Member States and Pan-African organizations to advance the production, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of GPS statistics. The successful implementation of this plan will depend on the active engagement of Member States, the support of key stakeholders, and the mobilization of resources to finance the proposed initiatives.
Background on SHaSA and STG-GPS
The Strategy for the Harmonization of Statistics in Africa (SHaSA) represents Africa’s pioneering effort to standardize the production, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of official statistics, including those related to Governance, Peace, and Security. Between 2012 and 2017, a group of African statisticians, supported by the AU Statistics Division (AUStats), the French Research Institute for Development (IRD-DIAL), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), developed and pilot-tested a harmonized methodology for monitoring GPS statistics in 16 countries.
With the operationalization of the AU Institute of Statistics (AU STATAFRIC), which serves as the secretariat for the STG-GPS, there is renewed momentum to support AU Member States in producing, compiling, analysing, and disseminating GPS data to inform evidence-based policymaking.
The APRM remains committed to supporting these efforts, leveraging its expertise in governance and monitoring to contribute to the continent’s sustainable development agenda.
About the APRM: The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an autonomous entity of the African Union, established in 2003. It functions as a voluntary self-monitoring tool for African Union Member States, aimed at promoting and strengthening governance in four thematic areas: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance, Corporate Governance, and Socio-Economic Development
For media inquiries or further information, please contact the APRM Continental Secretariat at: info@aprm-au.org
