New York, 20 July 2023. For the fifth consecutive year, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) participated in the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), in New York, to support African countries in relation to voluntary national reports of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which also address aspects of the African Union Agenda 2063 to promote good governance throughout the continent. In addition to APRM’s core mandate to promote democratic governance through assessment reviews, the continental mechanism adopted a continental program to assist member states in monitoring and evaluating on Agenda 2063, particularly on governance aspects. With the objective of facilitating the implementation of its programs, the APRM thus sustained and consolidated significant partnerships with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the UN office on South-South Cooperation, the Islamic development bank, the UNDP service centre in Africa and SDGs centre for Africa to support member states in VNRs preparations to strengthen their national capacities towards effective governance of SDGs and Agenda 2063.
The APRM activities during the HLPF 2023 included various events. In partnership with UN OSAA and UNECA, the APRM VLR Lab on energy-water-sustainability highlighted national experiences from Tanzania and Ghana, as they shared insights on conducted reforms and how UN SDGs and AU Agenda 2063 provided solid institutional frameworks for countries plans of action. The APRM also supported Uganda’s events on Pathways for SDG Localization and development of Voluntary Local Reviews in the country. This event demonstrated how APRM Country Reviews contributed to better reporting on both Agendas 2030 and 2063.
The APRM German council on sustainable development high level side event provided the opportunity for African and European Unions’ members to share concrete insights on regional aspects of voluntary national reporting on Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063. Ministers from Sierra Leone, Uganda, Egypt, Finland and representatives of European Commission, European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils Network (EEAC), the Global Forum for National SDG Advisory Bodies. Participants all agreed on the necessity to intensify and broaden VNR experiences between both continents with the support of the African Union to enrich countries experiences in domesticating and localising sustainable development principles.
Prof. Eddy Maloka, APRM’s CEO, also participated in the OECD side event on policy coherence for sustainable development to share insights and experience on Africa initiative to promote policy coherence for Agenda 2030 and 2063 which was launched with the OECD on the margins of the High-level forum on South-South cooperation in Kampala earlier this year. Prof. Maloka referred to the mechanism’s responsive approach on COVID-19 by providing member states with further analysis on the issue of resilience and disaster management.
Additionally, the CEO moderated the High-level segment of ECOSOC session focusing on Strengthening UN System Institutions for Resilient Sustainable Development. Throughout this engagement, Prof. Maloka emphasised that the African Union values a consistent and continuous coordination with the UN institutions at all levels. He added that the AU-UN framework for the implementation of Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 reflects the AU-UN strategic partnership to tackle Africa’s challenges to promote fair and equal opportunities especially for younger generations.
Lastly, the APRM, in collaboration with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), co-organised a pre-anniversary event on the margins of the HLPF to allow African countries and strategic partners to share reflections on APRM’s role and recommendations to improve its engagement towards member states. The event witnessed participation of high -level representatives and speakers from Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Ghana alongside strategic partners to highlight national experiences with APRM over the past twenty years as well as achievements, challenges and lessons learnt in promoting good governance and implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in African contexts.
