Lusaka, 24–26 November 2025 — The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), in collaboration with the Republic of Zambia’s National Structures, convened a technical follow-up mission to refine and finalise Zambia’s National Plan of Action (NPoA) and to review its integration and costing processes. The three-day workshop brought together national delegates, thematic experts, and a technical team from the APRM Continental Secretariat.
Welcoming participants, Mr. Guess Nyirenda, Chairperson of the APRM National Governing Council (NGC) of Zambia, underscored the importance of the follow-up mission and reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to strengthening the NPoA as a central instrument for advancing governance reforms. He extended appreciation to the CEO of the APRM Continental Secretariat, Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, for her steadfast support and for deploying a dedicated technical team to work closely with Zambia’s National Structures to complete the NPoA’s costing and integration.
Speaking on behalf of the CEO and leading the mission, Mr. Peter Katwesige expressed the Continental Secretariat’s sincere appreciation for the warm welcome and constructive engagement throughout the workshop. He noted that the mission played a key role in the refinement, harmonisation, and consolidation of the NPoA report, an essential step toward its official launch and the commencement of implementation. The workshop also reviewed key enablers for successful NPoA execution and introduced Zambia to the APRM Governance Index voluntary data-collection process.
Zambia is currently undergoing its Second-Generation APRM Review, informed by the experiences of other Participating States such as Egypt, Namibia, and Uganda. Preliminary findings from the initial stages of the review highlight the need to strengthen institutional capacity, particularly within the Financial Intelligence Unit, enhance alignment between national development plans and international treaty obligations, and improve civil society engagement to foster inclusive and effective public dialogue. These findings build on Zambia’s baseline APRM assessment conducted in 2011 and reaffirm the importance of translating recommendations into a practical, costed NPoA supported by government commitment and realistic budgeting. Recent governance reforms, including the repeal of the death penalty and certain defamation laws, will also be reflected in the review’s outcomes.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Nyirenda reiterated his gratitude to the APRM Continental Secretariat for its dedicated technical support in finalising the NPoA report. He assured the mission team that the revised and fully costed NPoA will be presented to the National Governing Council (NGC) for adoption and subsequently submitted to His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema for approval, an important milestone that will clear the way for the official launch of the Country Review Report and the beginning of NPoA implementation. Mr. Nyirenda commended the spirit of collaboration demonstrated throughout the mission and reaffirmed that stakeholders will remain actively engaged during the formal launch. He emphasised that the Zambian National Secretariat and the NGC will continue to play integral roles in advancing this significant national governance milestone.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact: APRM Continental Secretariat at info@aprm-au.org.
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