Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils

The document examines the critical role of National Governing Councils (NGCs) as the link between political leadership and technical research in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It identifies significant inconsistencies in NGC size, composition, and legal status across participating states, which hinder the consistency and legitimacy of Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSAR). The brief argues that meaningful independence from government, clear legal mandates, and robust technical support from the APRM Secretariat are essential for the mechanism's success. It recommends that the Secretariat develop coherent guidelines and that civil society organisations (CSOs) hold governments accountable for the composition of these councils.

• National Governing Councils (NGCs) are essential to the APRM process, acting as the link between a state's political leadership and the technical institutions conducting research, and are vital for creating Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSAR) and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs).
• There is a significant lack of consistency in the size and composition of NGCs across different countries. 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 absence of permanent legal status for NGCs leads to uncertainty regarding their roles and can result in the disbanding of councils due to political changes or resource constraints, causing a loss of institutional memory and oversight capacity.
• Maintaining independence from government is the most critical factor for a successful NGC, yet many councils face conflicts of interest because they rely on the state for funding, data access, and logistical support.
• The APRM faces a substantial funding shortfall caused by a lack of annual contributions from member states and a decline in donor contributions, which is further complicated by concerns over financial management.
• The APRM Secretariat is responsible for coordinating technical assistance and sharing best practices, but there is a need for a stronger link between the Secretariat and NGCs to ensure that identified best practices are actually incorporated into the development of CSARs.

APA

Kurtzer, J. (2015). Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf

Chicago

Kurtzer, Jacob. Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kurtzer |first1=Jacob |title=Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2015 |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{kurtzer2015strengthening, author = {Kurtzer, Jacob}, title = {{Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Policy-Briefing-134.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }