Addis Ababa – May 21, 2012:  As the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) marks its tenth anniversary since it was established, Mozambique’s former President Joachim Chissano a founding member of the APRM, has said that it is time to take critical stock of the impact of the governance measurement instrument in Africa.

Mr Chissano was speaking at the opening of a two-day APRM Summit in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, ahead of the iconic 50th Anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union.

Mr Chissano said “For too long, we have been assessed and condemned by outsiders as if we do not know what we are doing, but Fifty years should have given us enough experience. It is now time for us to ask if APRM has played a role in ensuring good governance in Africa.”

The Secretariat’s Chief Executive Officer Assefa Shifa said Africa can take pride in the gains made in the in the last ten years. “Since 2003, thirty-three of Africa’s fifty-four nations have acceded to the APRM of which seventeen have successfully completed their self-assessment and have been peer-reviewed. This included the review of their policies and practices on democracy, political governance, economic governance and corporate governance,” he said.

Through the APRM, African leaders have advanced good governance and democracy across the continent. One of the most important achievements of the APRM process is that it has raised awareness among stakeholders in participating countries of many cross-cutting governance issues, such as corruption, gender equality and youth unemployment.

But there were also words of caution from the outgoing United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Africa Bureau Director, Dr Tegegnework Gettu who said while we celebrate achievements, we should also not lose sight of the challenges as well, such the lack of awareness of APRM by many in Africa.

And speaking during a high level panel discussion at the Summit, Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, said the two key things the APRM should consider the opening of the Regional Economic Community peer review process and work on how to strengthen our governance systems so that they can address critical youth issues.

Chairperson of the APRM panel of Eminent Persons and former interim president of Liberia, said the inclusive and self-assessment nature of the APRM speaks eloquently to the fact that Africa has embraced transparent systems of democratic governance,.

As a unique and innovative approach to governance, APRM reports have served as an early warning system for impeding threats to peace and stability in Africa. For example, its reports anticipated the violence that followed the 2007 elections in Kenya and the 2008 xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Thus far, 31 African countries have signed up for the review and 14 of them have completed the process.