Governance at a Glance: Botswana’s APRM Experience

The document details the Botswana APRM Popular Sensitisation (BAPS) Project, an initiative led by the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). It describes how over 35 CSOs collaborated to produce a governance report covering 12 key areas, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The briefing provides a set of recommendations for other countries, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity, non-partisan coordination, and the use of ICTs to facilitate civic engagement in governance reviews.

• Botswana voluntarily joined the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in February 2019, becoming the 38th AU Member State to do so. The process was viewed by civil society as a "social audit of Botswana’s governance health" intended to allow the country to introspect.
• The Botswana APRM Popular Sensitisation (BAPS) Project involved over 35 CSOs and focused on 12 specific governance topics: citizen participation and economic inclusion, human rights, education, vulnerable groups, food security, public service and decentralisation, separation of powers, transparency and accountability, crime and security, foreign policy, research and development, and sustainable development, natural resource management, and access to land and infrastructure.
• The COVID-19 pandemic forced the BAPS Project to shift from face-to-face engagements to online delivery. This transition faced obstacles such as limited internet connectivity, lack of data bundles, and restrictions on accessing research materials and resource persons due to lockdowns.
• The success of the CSO engagement was attributed to the leadership of BOCONGO and financial support from SAIIA for data bundles. BOCONGO ensured inclusivity by engaging rural CSOs, minority groups, and providing sign language interpreters.
• The document identifies several critical success factors for CSOs participating in the APRM: maintaining a non-partisan approach, prioritizing specific governance issues rather than the full questionnaire, building trust through government involvement, and benchmarking against other countries like Zambia and Namibia.
• The BAPS Project culminated in April 2021 with the launch of a professional report on the state of governance in Botswana, which was handed over to stakeholders.

APA

Phale, M. O., & Kgosiemang, P. K. (2021). Governance at a Glance: Botswana’s APRM Experience. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-111-phale-kgosiemang-1.pdf

Chicago

Phale, Maipelo Olga, and Phetso Kegaisamang Kgosiemang. Governance at a Glance: Botswana’s APRM Experience. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-111-phale-kgosiemang-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Phale |first1=Maipelo Olga |last2=Kgosiemang |first2=Phetso Kegaisamang |title=Governance at a Glance: Botswana’s APRM Experience |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-111-phale-kgosiemang-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{phale2021governance, author = {Phale, Maipelo Olga and Kgosiemang, Phetso Kegaisamang}, title = {{Governance at a Glance: Botswana’s APRM Experience}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Policy-Insights-111-phale-kgosiemang-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }