Assessing the Implications of the APRM’s Expanded Mandate

The paper examines how the APRM's Expanded Mandate has revitalized the agency by introducing targeted reviews and monitoring roles for Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, while cautioning that these additions may distract from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews. It highlights the role of the 'Kagame Reforms' and the leadership of CEO Prof. Eddy Maloka in restoring institutional stability and financial predictability. The author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains, rationalizing its activities to ensure that new instruments, such as National Governance Reports, do not become weak substitutes for rigorous peer reviews.

• The Expanded Mandate, established through AU Assembly decisions between 2016 and 2019, broadened the APRM's scope to include monitoring the AU's Agenda 2063 and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as serving as an early warning tool for conflict prevention.
• The introduction of targeted reviews has increased participation by allowing countries to scrutinize specific sectors rather than undergoing full reviews; examples include Djibouti (decentralisation), Namibia (youth unemployment), Senegal (mineral resources), and Sierra Leone (health governance).
• The APRM's membership grew from 33 countries in December 2015 to 41 by April 2021, with new members including Namibia, The Gambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• There is a risk that National Governance Reports may be used as 'weak substitutes' for comprehensive Country Review Reports, potentially allowing countries to circumvent the rigour of formal peer reviews.
• National Programmes of Action (NPoAs) have historically been a 'weak link' in the APRM process due to difficulties in implementation, including issues with budgeting, performance monitoring, and alignment with national planning systems.
• The APRM achieved greater institutional stability under CEO Prof. Eddy Maloka, notably by having its budget included in the statutory budget of the AU for the first time in 2019.
• The COVID-19 pandemic forced the APRM to adopt virtual operational delivery and led to the creation of the 'Africa’s Governance Response to COVID 19: Preliminary Report 2020' to facilitate evidence-based policy responses.

APA

SEMELA, K. (2021). Assessing the Implications of the APRM’s Expanded Mandate. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Occasional-Paper-328-semela.pdf

Chicago

SEMELA, KGOTHATSO. Assessing the Implications of the APRM’s Expanded Mandate. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Occasional-Paper-328-semela.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=SEMELA |first1=KGOTHATSO |title=Assessing the Implications of the APRM’s Expanded Mandate |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=July 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Occasional-Paper-328-semela.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{semela2021assessing, author = {SEMELA, KGOTHATSO}, title = {{Assessing the Implications of the APRM’s Expanded Mandate}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Occasional-Paper-328-semela.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }