São Tomé, 31 August 2023. The African Peer Review Mechanism’s Chief Executive Officer, Professor Eddy Maloka and his team composed of the country coordinator, Mr. Germain Tshinu and the mission administrator Mme. Arlette Yemek conducted a two-day support mission to the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe to sensitise the government officials, the private sector and the civil societies on the Targeted Review processes. The main objective of the support mission was to prepare and familiarise various stakeholders with the suggested topics of Targeted Reviews on “the State resilience to various shocks related to natural disasters and Tourism as a driver of economic, social and cultural development in São Tomé and Principe”.
The APRM’s CEO, Professor Eddy Maloka started the mission with a courtesy call on HE. Gareth Haddad do Espiríto Santo Guadalupe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. The two authorities had a closed session before opening the support mission with their respective statements on the Targeted Review exercise. Professor Eddy Maloka made his opening statement by thanking the government and the brotherly people of São Tomé and Príncipe for relaunching the APRM processes that stalled for many years since the country’s adhesion in 2007. He equally congratulated the country’s authorities for their determination to undertake the Targeted Reviews that will enforce governance in the two topics mentioned above.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, HE. Gareth Haddad do Espiríto Santo Guadalupe opened the workshop by welcoming the APRM team in the country and encouraging all the stakeholders in the meeting to participate actively and make sound contribution to successfully prepare the upcoming Targeted Reviews.
The opening statements were followed by the presentations of Mr. Germain Tshinu on the overview of APRM, the Targeted Review processes, the terms of reference on the recruitment of consultants and the roadmap for the Targeted Review field mission. Other presentations pertaining to the preparation of the Targeted Review were done by the government representatives in charge of tourism, the management of natural disasters and gender related issues.
The two-day support mission ended with a courtesy call on HE. Patrice Emery Trovoada, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe who cordially received the APRM team led by Professor Maloka and emphasised the importance of the two topics in the country’s economy. He also assured the APRM’s delegation of his government readiness to carry-out the Targeted Review exercise according to the agreed roadmap.
