The Daunting Task of Peer Review in Africa

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a central component of NEPAD designed to hold African leaders accountable for good governance and socio-economic development. However, the process is hindered by its voluntary nature, a lack of sanctioning power, and the absence of international institutions like the IMF and World Bank in its monitoring process. Political solidarity among leaders, funding shortages for the Secretariat, and country-specific implementation hurdles in nations such as Mauritius and Rwanda further undermine its ability to deliver tangible results.

• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a voluntary self-monitoring tool that lacks the authority to sanction governments that do not comply with its standards, relying instead on peer pressure and dialogue.
• The exclusion of global entities such as the G8, European Union, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund from the APRM process limits the ability of African governments to apply punitive measures, such as trade restrictions or the withholding of aid, against non-compliant states.
• Political solidarity among African leaders, characterized by mutual support for those who rig elections, threatens the integrity of the peer-review process; for example, Nigeria and South Africa opposed the 2002 Commonwealth suspension of Zimbabwe.
• The APRM faces significant operational hurdles, including a lack of funding for the African Peer Review Secretariat from NEPAD or the African Union, and the reluctance of over two dozen states to submit to review due to human rights concerns or lack of readiness.
• Implementation of the APRM varies by country: Mauritius struggled with a poorly conceptualized institutional framework for managing the process, while Rwanda faced challenges including consultation fatigue, lack of internal expertise, and poor rural infrastructure.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2006). The Daunting Task of Peer Review in Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-daunting-task-of-peer-review-in-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The Daunting Task of Peer Review in Africa. 2006. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-daunting-task-of-peer-review-in-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The Daunting Task of Peer Review in Africa |date=15 November 2006 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-daunting-task-of-peer-review-in-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2006daunting, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The Daunting Task of Peer Review in Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2006}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-daunting-task-of-peer-review-in-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }