Conference on “The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level” Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010 Communiqué

The communiqué from the July 2010 Kampala conference identifies critical areas for improving the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Key recommendations include the urgent need to fill the vacant CEO position of the APRM Secretariat, the integration of National Programmes of Action (NPOA) into national budgeting and planning, and the requirement for National Governing Councils to maintain institutional independence with a non-executive majority. The document emphasizes that while twelve countries had completed reviews by 2010, the pace of accession and execution remains slow, urging all 53 African states to join the mechanism.

• The APRM has seen success in opening political space for citizens and diagnosing national problems, but the pace of reviews is considered slow. The participants urge states that have acceded to the APRM to urgently establish the necessary national structures, with the ultimate goal of including all 53 African states.
• National Programmes of Action (NPOA) have not received sufficient sustained attention. The communiqué argues that NPOAs should be developed through consultative processes, integrated into national planning and budgeting, and include clear indicators for their objectives.
• The continental APRM Secretariat requires strengthening, specifically noting that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position has been vacant since July 2007. A full-time appointment is urged to resolve institutional issues and provide better guidance to national processes and civil society.
• National Governing Councils (NGCs) should ensure institutional independence and be composed of a majority of members who are not from the executive branch. These councils should remain active after the initial review to assist with progress reports and be provided with sufficient resources.
• There is a significant gap in public access to information, particularly regarding the lack of national Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSARs) in most countries. The participants call for more accessible versions of the APRM questionnaire and increased availability of materials in French, Portuguese, and national languages.
• Civil society organisations (CSOs) are viewed as key partners who should move beyond criticism to actively ensure the success of self-assessments and NPOA implementation. The document suggests that CSOs are most effective when they form national coalitions and coordinate their submissions.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2010). Conference on “The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level” Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010 Communiqué. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/aprm_communique_kampala_20100729.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Conference on “The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level” Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010 Communiqué. 2010. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/aprm_communique_kampala_20100729.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Conference on “The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level” Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010 Communiqué |date=21 July 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/aprm_communique_kampala_20100729.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2010conference, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Conference on “The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level” Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010 Communiqué}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/aprm_communique_kampala_20100729.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }