Shirley-Ayorkor-Botchwey
Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has indicated that Ghana remains committed to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APERM).
“Ghana is passionate about the African Peer Review Mechanism and is therefore determined to renew her commitment to the second review,” she said.
The Foreign Minister made this known in a speech at the opening ceremony of a two-day Regional Experience-Sharing and Sensitization Workshop on Second Generation African Peer Reviews.
The workshop kicked off in Accra on Monday, July 22, 2019.
The workshop brings together countries, development partners and non-state actors to facilitate peer learning on how African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) review processes were carried out with particular regard to the second review, and how recommendations in the first APRM reviews have been used to achieve better outcomes.
According to her, the importance of this workshop at this time cannot be overemphasized.
The workshop would, among others, assess progress made in governance and socio-economic development in member states during the period of the first review.
It would further reinvigorate, rationalize and institutionalize the APRM in governance reforms within member states, and evaluate the extent to which the National Programme of Action is being implemented and its continued relevance.
“On the basis of that evaluation, a new National Programme of Action with a few key actions is expected to be proposed,” the Minister said.
Furthermore, it allowed participants to benefit from innovative approaches which could be used to extend participation to the district or local government levels, according to the Minister.
The African Peer Review Mechanism, established in 2003, is a mutually-agreed instrument which member states of the African Union have voluntarily acceded to as part of an African self-monitoring mechanism for measuring performance in their governance, she said.
Ghana was one of the first countries to submit herself to the APRM process because of the conviction that the process has the capacity to enhance good governance on the continent.
According to her, Heads of State peer-level review was a good tool to promote political stability, accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration, economic growth and sustainable development.
By acceding to the APRM, she said, Member States agree to independently review their compliance with African and international governance commitments.
“Ghana led by example as the first among 12 countries to accede to the APRM process and the first to be reviewed in 2006.”
She indicated that currently, out of 38 countries, 22 have been peer reviewed.
“Permit me to extend warmest congratulations to Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique which have undertaken their second reviews, as well as with South Africa and Nigeria which are at the point of undergoing their second reviews. Hopefully, a lot more countries will join the process soon.”
BY Melvin Tarlue