The exclusive and specific Role of Parliaments in fostering APRM Country Review Process.

1. The exclusive and specific Role of Parliaments in fostering APRM Country Review Process. A presentation by Mr. Ferdinand Katendeko, Midrand 25 March 2014

2. Outline of presentation • Background • Purpose and principles of APRM • Achievements of APRM • Role of Parliaments • Conclusion

3. Background • Established in 2003, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has been widely acclaimed as an innovation aimed at entrenching democracy and good governance in Africa. • It is guided by the principles of participation, inclusiveness, technical competence,credible, accuracy, and free from political manipulation. • APRM has34 member states of AU, of which 17 have been peer reviewed. • The current members are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Congo, Djibouti , Egypt, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique , Mauritius, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe , Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa , Sudan , Tanzania ,Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia. • Many more of African countries are getting interested in joining the Mechanism, of which some are Cape Verde, and Cote D’ivoire

4. Purpose and Principles of APRM • The primary purpose of APRM is to foster the adoption and implementation of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and regional economic integration. • Since its inception, the APRM remains to be clear manifestation of the will of the Peoples and Leaders of Africa towards achieving our common goals to uphold the rule of law, respect of human rights, equality, accountability and transparency.

5. Achievements of APRM so far. • Increased membership. • Opened up political space for citizen’s participation in policy debates, fostered national dialogue, induced institutional and policy innovations, • Demystified and clarified complicated issues of governance, increased advocacy for good governance and better service delivery and constituted a centre-piece in the AU Governance Architecture. • Countries which have been peer reviewed, have implemented, albeit at various degrees, the recommendations of the NPoA. • APRM has not only identified good practices in various countries, which are being shared among APRM member states, but also identified overarching issues which should be further addressed by relevant forums such as parliaments. • APRM has acted as an early warning mechanism for pending crises or conflicts.

6. Some few Challenges of APRM • Lack of enough visibility in and outside Continent • Inadequate proper understanding of the complex nature of the mechanism. • Lack of adequate funding for the mechanism • Inadequate inclusiveness of all stakeholders • Dissolving of some of its structures such as the National Governing Council especially after the first review, hence rendering its continuity difficult. • Inadequate implementation of the national programme of Action.

7. Role of Parliaments • The APRM Base Document provides that six months after the Country Review Report has been considered by the Heads of State and Government of the participating countries, the Report must be formally and publicly tabled in key regional and sub-regional structures, foremost the Pan-African Parliament, the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights, the ECOSOCC and other sister organizations. • Aware that Parliaments have a responsibility of anchoring Rule of Law and fostering the values of Democracy, Good Governance, Equality and domestic Accountability, APRM needs to work closely with them (parliaments) in order to achieve the objectives of Democracy, Good Governance and Socio-Economic Development of APRM. • Our Parliaments are at three levels i.e. national, regional and continental levels . • These parliaments owe their countries and African people the responsibility of exercising their role to facilitate public ownership of the APRM.

8. Role of Parliaments … Cont’d At the national level, parliamentarians in their respective countries should: • Actively participate in the APRM National Governing Council, and take their membership in the Council seriously, including in the preparation of the Self-Assessment Report and preliminary National programme of Action (NPOA); • Assist to influence government decisions and policieson APRM; • Ensure sustainability of the APRM process by passing legislations and mobilizing grass root support for the APRM process; • Seek for equitable representation in the NGC/National Commissions and play an active role in this body; • Organiseand participate in sensitization events on the mechanism, and engage in APRM Advocacy in their Constituencies, especially in rural communities.

9. Role of Parliaments … Cont’d • Establish a Parliamentary Committee responsible for defining, overseeing and organizing engagement in APRM; • Study the self-assessment report and prepare comments based on country experiences; • Take stock of the Codes and standards, which are to be ratified and domesticated, and initiate legislative action in that regard. • Subject National Programme of Action (NPOA) to scrutiny, and design monitoring mechanisms to ensure and follow-up its implementation. This is particularly important after the peer review process has been completed.

10. Role of Parliaments … Cont’d • Stimulate media coverage and encourage responsible journalism with a view to increase dissemination of information on the APRM to the wider public; • Ensure that the member state fulfil its financial obligations to the APRM especially in financing the implementation of the National Programme of Action. • Adopt a consensual rather than a partisan approach to the APRM process and other AU policies. • Ensure improved partnership and cooperation between citizens, Civil Society Organizations and Parliament on APRM activities • Study carefully the APRM Country Review Reports with a view of explaining the contents therein to the constituents.

11. Role of Parliaments … Cont’d At the sub-regional level, the Parliaments at Regional Economic Communities should : • Table Country Review Reports especially those from countries within a specific region (I . e. EAC, SADC, COMESA etc) and discuss the way forward in terms of their implementation and harmonisation of regional standards and codes therein. • Consolidate sub-regional integration, by promoting the ratification and domestication of Standards and Codes . • Promote the establishment of the sub-regional institutions of dissemination of information on governance guided by the fundamental principles of the APRM, such as the African ownership and leadership and the fostering of peer learning. • Encourage non-member countries in the sub-region to accede to the APRM. •  Encourage their media,  CSO and other stakeholders within regions to participate in the  implementation of our APRM NPOA. •  Share experience especially as gained in the APRM process and implementation, without forgetting challengesfacing the mechanism

12. Role of Parliaments … Cont’d At the continental level, the role of the Pan-African Parliament could be summarized as follows:   • Promote transnational peer learning   • Provide opportunities for tabling APRM reports during PAP ordinary sessions with a view to generate debates on APRM best practices of the Mechanism at the continent by stimulating non-participating countries to join.   • Establish parliamentary Committees to monitor the implementation of National Programme of Action in the participating countries. • Encourage all AU member countries to accede to APRM to foster APRM country review process.

13. Conclusion • APRM is confident of strong commitment of Parliaments at the National, Sub-regional and Continental levels in ensuring its success. • APRM also relies on the ability of Parliaments to influence government decisions and policies by passing legislations and mobilizing support for the APRM process as well as participating in sensitisation on APRM. • APRM is also sure that Parliaments will fulfill their mandate of implementing the National Programme of Action in APRM member states. • APRM further hopes that partnership between parliaments and APRM will continue to foster respect for the rule of law, and create a conducive environment to fulfill their legitimate aspirations for stability, sustainable economic and social development based on good governance. • We are soon working out partnerships with PAP and other Parliaments on how to implement the APRM NPOA.

14. Thank you for your Attention.