Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives

The document assesses the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) against two other multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs), the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It identifies weaknesses in the APRM's digital transparency, member accountability, and civil society integration, while suggesting the APRM can offer lessons in strategic partnership building.

• The APRM's website is described as inadequate, difficult to navigate, and missing essential documents such as National Programme of Action (NPoA) Implementation Reports, whereas the OGP and EITI maintain comprehensive, user-friendly knowledge repositories.
• The APRM lacks effective disciplinary mechanisms for member states that fail to implement NPoAs or close civic spaces, contrasting with the OGP, which labels members 'inactive', and the EITI, which suspends or delists members for lack of progress.
• Civil society's role in the APRM is limited, with representatives often excluded from high-level discussions of review reports by heads of state; the document recommends establishing a dedicated civil society desk at the Secretariat to support CSOs.
• While the APRM emphasizes 'peer learning', the practice is hindered by poor attendance at Forum meetings and a reluctance among heads of state to criticize one another, leaving 'best practices' largely unused in reports.
• The APRM has struggled to measure its practical impact on national governance, and the document suggests it should commission a study on measurable outcomes, such as laws passed, as a result of its review process.
• The APRM is noted for its strength in developing strategic partnerships with high-profile organizations, including the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, African Development Bank Group, and various UN agencies, as well as its pursuit of universal accession by all AU states by 2023.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2019). Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives. https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-from-multi-stakeholder-initiatives/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives. 2019. https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-from-multi-stakeholder-initiatives/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives |date=19 September 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-from-multi-stakeholder-initiatives/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2019lessons, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Lessons from Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-from-multi-stakeholder-initiatives/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }