Thursday, June 26, 2014

Africa to host APRM meet in Dar

 
 
 
 
By Special Correspondent, Malabo

The 21st meeting of the Heads of State and Government participating in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has decided to conduct Continental wide sensitization seminars and cited Dar es Salaam as one of the venues.

The news was announced during the APRM meeting held on 24th June 2014, in Malabo - Equatorial Guinea. The main theme of this year's meeting is 'Promoting Good Governance for the Well Being of the People of Africa.'

According to the APRM Tanzania Executive Secretary, Rehema Twalib who is attending the meetings in Malabo, Tanzania will host a sub-regional level APRM meeting later this year.

"In an effort to step up awareness on the APRM process, the Panel has embarked on regional sensitization workshops. Tanzania has been designated to hold the East African Workshop which will include participants from all Eastern African countries," she said.

A total of 35 out of 54 AU countries are participating in the APRM process. In her opening speech, the APRM Chairperson, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf addressed issues of sustainability of the APRM process, focusing on a well-coordinated restructuring of the APRM Continental Secretariat.

The participating Heads of States reiterated their commitment to fast track the process. In this regard, four countries including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa have been lined up for a second Peer Review under the APRM auspices and countries that are ready of their first Peer Review include; Chad, Mauritania, Senegal and Liberia.

Tanzania is a member of the APRM since 2004 and has completed all the initial stages of the governance review. A Programme of Action is now in place and the government is working on the identified governance challenges.