Zambian Civil Society’s Arduous APRM Journey

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and milestones of Zambian civil society's engagement with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) between 2006 and 2014. It details how the process was hindered by resource constraints, political instability, and overlapping national priorities, while highlighting the role of a dedicated CSO APRM Secretariat in ensuring civil society's voice was included in national reports.

• Zambia's APRM process, which began in January 2006 under President Levy Mwanawasa, was significantly delayed by the government's simultaneous focus on a contentious constitutional review process. The Ministry of Justice served as the Focal Point for both, leading to a shift in attention away from the APRM, and the 2006 national budget allocated no funds to the mechanism.
• To ensure consistent engagement, Zambian civil society established a dedicated CSO APRM Secretariat in July 2007. This non-registered entity was hosted rotationally by member institutions, including the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) for two years and Caritas Zambia for three years, to maintain independence from political influence.
• The National Governing Council (NGC) was criticized for its composition and lack of independence. Despite recommendations for a smaller, tripartite body of 15 to 21 members, the government appointed 47 members, the majority of whom represented government or quasi-government institutions. Furthermore, the initial chairperson was an active member of the ruling party, contradicting the goal of independent leadership.
• The death of President Mwanawasa in August 2008 and the subsequent presidential by-election caused further delays to the APRM roadmap, specifically stalling the start of the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR).
• Civil society successfully influenced the official APRM outcomes by producing an independent CSO APRM thematic report. This document, developed with technical and financial support from SAIIA, was used to engage Technical Research Institutions (TRIs) and the Country Review Mission (CRM), resulting in CSO issues being incorporated into the CSAR and the Country Review Report.
• The closure of the CSO APRM Secretariat in 2011, driven by membership fatigue and a lack of long-term funding, created a critical gap in monitoring the implementation of the National Programme of Action (NPoA). While a coalition attempted to track the NPoA in 2016, these efforts were limited by resource constraints.

APA

MWAPE, S. (2021). Zambian Civil Society’s Arduous APRM Journey. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-108-mwape.pdf

Chicago

MWAPE, SUSAN. Zambian Civil Society’s Arduous APRM Journey. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-108-mwape.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=MWAPE |first1=SUSAN |title=Zambian Civil Society’s Arduous APRM Journey |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-108-mwape.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mwape2021zambian, author = {MWAPE, SUSAN}, title = {{Zambian Civil Society’s Arduous APRM Journey}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-108-mwape.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }