Core APRM Documents

These core documents outline and detail the context in which the APRM has been developed, the aims and objectives of the mechanism and the specific details, functions and operations of the APRM.

All documents are in PDF format.

NEPAD Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance. This declaration, adopted by the Participating Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Durban, South Africa in 2003, details the commitment of Africa's leaders to the promotion of democratic values and the practice of accountable and prescribed standards of political, economic and corporate governance. In order to promote these standards, the participating Heads of State and Government adopted NEPAD as the official economic development framework of the newly constituted African Union. This is the first document which makes reference to the APRM, on Page 10, para. 28.

African Peer Review Mechanism Base Document, 9 March 2003. This document provides the reader with an overview of the various aspects that constitute the APRM, including: its mandate; purpose; principles; leadership and management structures; participation in the APRM; periodicity and types of review; and the five stages of the APRM process. This document is critical to understanding the APRM.

Memorandum of Understanding on the APRM, 9 March 2003. This is the document which is signed by the Head of State and/or Government of an African state which wishes to formally accede to the APRM. It details and outlines the common and shared understanding and purpose of the APRM's participating countries, and outlines the responsibilities and rights of member states of the APRM. Once a signed copy of this document is received by the APRM Secretariat in Midrand, South Africa, the country is formally considered to have acceded to the APRM.

Procedures for Accession to the APRM, 9 March 2003. This brief two-page document outlines the procedures which a country needs to complete in order to accede to the APRM.

APRM: Organization and Process, 9 March 2003. This document outlines and describes in detail the design, functions and responsibilities of the various organs of the APRM. This document is an excellent resource for those interested in becoming familiar with the different organs and committees of the APRM, and understanding the practical steps in implementing peer review in a country.

Objectives, standards, criteria and indicators for the APRM, 9 March 2003. This document, often referred to as 'OSCI', details the specific objectives, standards, criteria and indicators that each country will be reviewed on during the country's self-assessment and its peer review process. It is a technical and detailed document, with references to various international standards against which the APRM's standards were developed and compared. This document was used in designing the APRM Base Questionnaire and is an essential resource for those engaging in technical and research-based survey methods such as Lead Technical Agencies and research think-tanks.

MOU on Technical Assessment and the Country Review Visit, 9 March 2003. This document is usually signed during a Country Support Mission to an APRM signatory that has established its basic national structures and has appointed a national APRM focal point to liaise with the APRM secretariat. The MOU details and establishes the legal obligations of the state during official APRM visits to the country, as well as the government's responsibilities and duties aimed at insuring the integrity and transparency of the country's review process. The document also includes details of the purpose, mandate and function of APRM country missions, and acts as a stated agreement between the state and the APR Secretariat.

APRM self-assessment master questionnaire. This document is designed to assist a country's national APRM structures and national research institutions, by focusing the research and survey methods of these bodies on the four areas of governance reviewed by the APRM. The questionnaire is intended to be used as a guide only, and each APRM participating state is encouraged to adapt and modify the questionnaire according to its specific needs and requirements. The questionnaire draws on the NEPAD Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance and the Objectives, standards, criteria and indicators for the APRM documents.