policy-briefing-134-dd9ed7068224f352.pdf

This policy briefing examines the role and challenges of National Governing Councils (NGCs) within the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Based on a February 2015 workshop, the document argues that while NGCs are essential for developing Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSAR) and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), a lack of standardized guidelines regarding their composition, funding, and legal status hinders their effectiveness and independence from political interference.

• National Governing Councils (NGCs) serve as the critical link between a state's political leadership and the technical institutions conducting research, providing oversight for the development of Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSAR) and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs).
• There is significant inconsistency across APRM participating states regarding the size and composition of NGCs. For example, Ghana's NGC consisted of seven eminent persons from civil society, Algeria's had 100 members, and Nigeria's equivalent body comprised 250 people.
• The lack of permanent legal status for NGCs creates uncertainty about their roles and makes them vulnerable to being disbanded due to political changes or resource constraints, leading to a loss of institutional memory and oversight capacity.
• Maintaining independence from government is a primary challenge for NGCs, as reliance on state funding and the appointment of Focal Points by heads of state can create conflicts of interest or pressure to produce less critical self-assessments.
• The APRM faces systemic funding shortfalls caused by a lack of annual contributions from member states and a decline in donor support, which is further complicated by concerns over financial management.
• To improve the APRM process, the author recommends that the APRM Secretariat develop more consistent guidelines for NGC structures and size, and that civil society organisations (CSOs) hold governments accountable for compliance with review guidelines.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). policy-briefing-134-dd9ed7068224f352.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. policy-briefing-134-dd9ed7068224f352.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=policy-briefing-134-dd9ed7068224f352.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndpolicybriefing134dd9ed7068224f352pdf, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{policy-briefing-134-dd9ed7068224f352.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }