Pretoria – 24 March 2026 – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat, led by the Acting Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Jean-Yves Adou, paid a courtesy visit to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) to explore ways of deepening collaboration on governance measurements and data systems. The delegation from the APRM Continental Secretariat was received by the Statistician General of StatsSA, Mr Risenga Maluleke, at the StatsSA’s head office.
The engagement focused on the African Governance Index (AGI), an APRM flagship initiative that assesses governance performance across five key thematic areas: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance, Socio-Economic Development, and State Resilience to Shocks and Disasters. The index is a nationally owned and transparent measure that relies primarily on official statistics and is complemented by qualitative expert insights.
The two parties reaffirmed the critical role of credible and independent statistical systems in supporting governance, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking. Both institutions agreed that all data used in the AGI must be officially validated by national statistical systems and aligned with global frameworks such as Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2030 development agenda.
The meeting proposed the development of a high-level Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the APRM Continental Secretariat and Stats SA. Once signed, the MoU will provide a structured framework for sustained technical and institutional collaboration, with flexibility to expand into economic and social statistics.
“This courtesy visit marks an important step in building a strong partnership between APRM and Statistics South Africa,” said Mr Jean-Yves Adou. He added that “reliable, officially validated data is essential to the success of the African Governance Index, and we look forward to finalising the MoU to deepen our collaboration.”
Both institutions are committed to leveraging data for accountability, policy coherence, and sustainable development outcomes across the continent.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact the APRM Continental Secretariat at info@aprm-au.org.
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