Good Governance and Political Stability in Africa: Is the APRM Working?

Abstract

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is no longer new to us in Africa. Since it was first mooted in 2002, and established in 2003 as a mechanism to monitor and measure adherence to the rule of law in Africa, there has been widespread interest in the structure and workings of the mechanism. The establishment of the APRM gave rise to both optimism and scepticism in Africa. The optimism was borne from the impression that finally the continent was doing something for itself about its problems, whereas the scepticism was based on the failure of various African initiatives to address the problems faced by the continent. As we approach a full decade of the functioning of the APRM, it is time to take stock, and to examine if indeed the mechanism has lived up to expectations, and if it is still relevant on the continent.