Reckoning with the APRM recommendations

The author critiques the APRM reports for Algeria, Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, noting that recommendations frequently lack actionable substance or rely on ambiguous terms like "strengthen." To improve, the author suggests leveraging the 'peer review' process for collective problem-solving, consulting academic institutions and NGOs, or admitting when further research is required.

• The APRM reports for the six pioneer countries successfully identify governance problems but provide recommendations that are often insufficient for practical policy guidance.
• Recommendations in the reports frequently suffer from three main flaws: they are either too vague to be actionable, use ambiguous language that provides no real guidance, or are overly idealistic and aspirational.
• Specific examples of inadequate recommendations include Algeria's vague call to be a "flag bearer in regional integration," Rwanda's ambiguous goal to "(strengthen) the right of access by citizens to administrative documents and information," and Ghana's aspirational goal to "engage holistically with corruption."
• To remedy the lack of practical solutions, the APRM should better utilize its 'peer review' mechanism to allow heads of state to share experiences and collectively develop solutions, or seek external expertise from universities, policy institutes, and NGOs.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2009). Reckoning with the APRM recommendations. https://saiia.org.za/research/reckoning-with-the-aprm-recommendations/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Reckoning with the APRM recommendations. 2009. https://saiia.org.za/research/reckoning-with-the-aprm-recommendations/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Reckoning with the APRM recommendations |date=6 May 2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/reckoning-with-the-aprm-recommendations/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2009reckoning, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Reckoning with the APRM recommendations}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/reckoning-with-the-aprm-recommendations/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }