Peace and Security through Good Governance

This 2003 research paper outlines the framework of the NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), detailing its five-stage review process and the roles of the APR Forum, Panel of Eminent Persons, and APR Secretariat. It emphasizes the distinction between political governance review (handled by AU institutions) and economic/corporate governance review (handled by the NEPAD Secretariat and partners like UNECA). The paper also discusses the integration of the APRM within the broader African Union structure and the proposed mutual accountability between Africa and its international development partners.

• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is designed to promote political stability, economic growth, sustainable development, and continental economic integration by sharing best practices and identifying capacity building needs.
• The APRM utilizes four distinct types of reviews for member countries: a base country review conducted within 18 months of joining, periodic reviews every two to four years, reviews requested by the member country itself, and reviews instituted due to early signs of political or economic crisis.
• The base review process consists of five stages: 1) background research and draft plan of action, 2) a country visit to build consensus with stakeholders, 3) preparation of recommendations by the APR team, 4) internal presentation and discussion of recommendations, and 5) the public release of the report and implementation.
• The governance of the APRM is divided among three primary structures: the APR Forum (the highest decision-making authority composed of participating Heads of State), the Panel of Eminent Persons (responsible for oversight and integrity of the process), and the APR Secretariat (providing technical and administrative support).
• The APRM's review focus is split between different institutional mandates: political and political governance review is based on the AU Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, while the NEPAD Secretariat focuses on economic governance and socio-economic review using international codes and standards.
• The UNECA and the African Development Bank (ADB) are designated to conduct technical assessments for the APRM, specifically regarding economic governance and management (UNECA) and banking and financial standards (ADB).
• A mutual review of development effectiveness is proposed between Africa and its development partners, utilizing indicators from the APRM for the African side and indicators regarding aid flows, donor practices, and policy coherence for external partners.

APA

Cilliers, J. (2003). Peace and Security through Good Governance. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/01-apr-2003-peace-and-security-through-good-governance-a-guide-to-the-nepad-african-peer-review-mechanism

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. Peace and Security through Good Governance. Institute for Security Studies, 2003. https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/01-apr-2003-peace-and-security-through-good-governance-a-guide-to-the-nepad-african-peer-review-mechanism.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=Peace and Security through Good Governance |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=April 2003 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/01-apr-2003-peace-and-security-through-good-governance-a-guide-to-the-nepad-african-peer-review-mechanism |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2003peace, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Peace and Security through Good Governance}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2003}, month = apr, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/corruption-and-governance/01-apr-2003-peace-and-security-through-good-governance-a-guide-to-the-nepad-african-peer-review-mechanism}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }