TEN REASONS TO KEEP FAITH WITH AFRICA’S PEER REVIEW PROCESS

The policy brief evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a governance monitoring tool designed to foster political stability and sustainable development in Africa. The author identifies ten reasons for optimism, noting that 29 African countries have voluntarily joined the process and that the mechanism has accelerated its pace of reviews over time. While the author acknowledges that the system struggles to hold heads of state accountable for specific crises, the APRM has produced comprehensive reports that identify systemic weaknesses and has led to tangible governance gains in countries like Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya. The brief concludes that the APRM empowers citizens through participatory assessment and promotes peer learning among states, though it requires more transparent leadership and better documentation of successes to maintain momentum.

• The APRM has expanded its membership to 29 African countries, which represents more than 75% of the continent's population, with Cape Verde expected to be the 30th member.
• The pace of peer reviews has increased significantly since the first review of Ghana in January 2006; by 2009, three countries (Mali, Mozambique, and Lesotho) were reviewed, and Ethiopia and Mauritius were expected to be reviewed in July 2010.
• The mechanism has led to specific governance improvements in early participating countries: Ghana established a ministry of chieftaincy and cultural affairs and passed laws on whistleblowers and domestic violence; Rwanda implemented business reforms praised by the World Bank; and Kenya established 148 peace committees and a ministry of women and children affairs.
• The APRM's Country Review Reports provide honest assessments of governance, identifying common challenges such as a dominant executive, insufficient separation of powers, and corruption, though recommendations are sometimes ignored.
• The process empowers citizens by requiring participating countries to involve stakeholders in assessing governance, which creates political space for dialogue between the governed and governors.
• The APRM facilitates peer learning and the sharing of best practices, such as Ghana and Kenya's four-pronged research system and Nigeria's Technical Aid Programme.
• The mechanism has received significant international financial support, with bilateral and multilateral partners contributing nearly $13 million between 2003 and 2009, compared to $20.5 million from member states.

APA

Gruzd, S. (2010). TEN REASONS TO KEEP FAITH WITH AFRICA’S PEER REVIEW PROCESS. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Policy-Briefing-17.pdf

Chicago

Gruzd, Steven. TEN REASONS TO KEEP FAITH WITH AFRICA’S PEER REVIEW PROCESS. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2010. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Policy-Briefing-17.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gruzd |first1=Steven |title=TEN REASONS TO KEEP FAITH WITH AFRICA’S PEER REVIEW PROCESS |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=17 May 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Policy-Briefing-17.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gruzd2010ten, author = {Gruzd, Steven}, title = {{TEN REASONS TO KEEP FAITH WITH AFRICA’S PEER REVIEW PROCESS}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Policy-Briefing-17.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }