APRM: The Need for Transparency

This research paper argues that the legitimacy of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the flagship programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), is threatened by a lack of transparency and government control over the review process. The author contends that for the APRM to succeed in providing home-grown solutions for Africa, governments must ensure civil society leads the governing structures and that the self-assessment process is inclusive and independent.

• The legitimacy of the APRM is currently jeopardised by a double standard where some countries place the process and governing councils under the direct control of a minister, despite advice that civil society should chair these bodies and hold the majority of seats.
• The Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) used in the APRM process is described as overly technical and flawed, containing substantial duplication and overlap across its four sections: Democracy and Good Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-Economic Development.
• To enhance credibility and transparency, the author recommends that national secretariats be housed outside government offices with independent staff, and that governments utilize household surveys—as seen in Ghana and Kenya—to capture a broad range of public views.
• The success of the APRM depends on moving beyond the production of a report to the creation of a tangible, costed, and inclusive Plan of Action with strict timelines, which allows civil society to hold governments accountable.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). APRM: The Need for Transparency. https://saiia.org.za/research/aprm-the-need-for-transparency/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. APRM: The Need for Transparency. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/aprm-the-need-for-transparency/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=APRM: The Need for Transparency |date=29 April 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/aprm-the-need-for-transparency/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008aprm, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{APRM: The Need for Transparency}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/aprm-the-need-for-transparency/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }