Liberia Concludes APRM Technical Country Support Mission

Monrovia, Liberia – A Technical Country Support Mission of the African Peer Review Mechanism Continental Secretariat has been concludedin the country.

The APRM Technical Country Support Mission washeld in Liberia from March 10-13, 2021 ahead of the 30th APR Forum of Heads of State and Government in South Africa where Liberia is expected to be peer reviewed. The Technical Support Mission which was led by Professor Eddy Maloka, Chief Executive Officer of the APRM Continental Secretariat based in Midrand , South Africa.

While in the country, the APRM Technical Delegation held a two-day technical working meeting with over 12 technicians at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in the context of updating Liberia’s Country Review Report. Professor Malokaand the APRM Technical Country Support Mission later held briefing meeting with the MFDP Minister and APRM National Focal Point Honorable Samuel D. Tweah, Jr.

Prof Maloka briefed the MFDP Minister on the process for updating the Liberia Country Review Report Key Highlights of the as well as the protocols and processes at the up-coming Virtual Summit of the APR Forumscheduled for March 25, 2021. The Mission also met with the Chairman of National Governing Council, as well as the APRM National Secretariat in Liberia.

The aim of the technical Country Support Mission is to also gauge Liberia’s preparedness for Peer Review of its first-generation country review report and National Programme of Action at the up-coming APRM Forum.

Liberia and the APRM

In 2010, at the 12th Summit of the APR Forum held in Addis Ababa, the Chair of the Governance Commission and former Interim President of Liberia (1990-1994), Dr. Amos C. Sawyer was appointed to the highest decision-making body, the APR Panel of Eminent Persons. A year later, Liberia formally joined the APRM by depositing the signed MOU of March 2003 at the NEPAD Secretariat. Liberia acceded to the 14th Forum of Heads of States and Governments of the APRM in January 2011 and has made meaningful contributions in terms of representation and participation.

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which was established in 2003 is an African Union initiative for promoting good governance within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), The objectives of the APRM are primarily to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through experience sharing and reinforcement of successful and best practices, including identifying deficiencies and assessment of requirements for capacity building.

The foundation of the APRM is built around four thematic pillars: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development. The APRM is a commonly approved framework voluntarily consented to by member states. Since its establishment in 2003, 40 countries more than half of Africa’s countries with three-quarter of its population have acceded to the APRM framework.

Thus far, 40 Member States out of the 55 members belonging to the African Union have voluntarily acceded to the APRM to date. The Liberian Government has set up a National Secretariat and put together a National Governing Council, which is representative of all sectors in the country to drive the APRM Liberia Country Program. The APRM Continental Secretariat will also field a support to Liberia to work with the Office of Focal Point, the National Governing Council and the APRM National Secretariat.