1. Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia
THE African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Sensitisation project in nambia (ASPIN)
Civil society training workshop
17-18 April 2018
Heja Lodge, Windhoek, Namibia
@rhymeswbruised
Swedish Residence, Pretoria
Steven Gruzd
27 February 2018

2. Outline Workshop aims and objectives SAIIA and the APRM
APRM in a nutshell
Where are we now?
Looking to the future
ASPIN: APRM Sensitisation Project in Namibia

3. Workshop aims and objectives
Inform and educate Namibian civil society about the APRM and opportunities it presents
Learn from other APRM country experiences
Understand youth and parliament perspectives
Highlight key entry points for CSOs
Form an APRM Working Group
Develop a draft issues list, workplan and timelines

4. SAIIA and APRM
Since 1934, independent, non-governmental think tank on international affairs. Turn 85 in 2019
3 programmes: AGDP, EDIP and GARP, + Youth + Portal
Worked on APRM since 2002, new work on other MSIs
Research, analysis, training, consulting to the Secretariat
Sensitised CSOs, questionnaire revision, CSO submissions, bottlenecks to development, expanded mandate
IPPR paper in February 2017 on APRM & Namibia
First Windhoek trip February 2018

5. APRM in a nutshell
Africa’s voluntary governance review and promotion tool established in 2003, grew out of NEPAD
Belief that dialogue, peer pressure, diplomacy & civil society involvement can catalyse reform
Measures adherence to African & global standards in 4 thematic areas, comprehensive, based on questionnaire
“Technically competent, credible, and free of political manipulation”
Set up institutions at national and continental level
Self-assessment, country review mission, peer review
Develop, fund, implement and report on NPoA
37/55 African states, 21+2 reviewed

8. APRM structures CONTINENTAL LEVEL
Assembly of Participating Heads of State and Government (APR Forum)
APR Panel of Eminent Persons
Committee of Focal Points
APRM Secretariat
NATIONAL LEVEL
Focal Point
National Governing Council
Technical Research Institutes

9. APRM Status in 37 Member States
1st CRR published
Ghana (2005)
Rwanda (2005)
Kenya (2006, 2018)
Algeria (2007)
South Africa (2007)
Burkina Faso (2008)
Benin (2008)
Nigeria (2009)
Uganda (2009)
Mali (2009)
Mozambique (2009)
Lesotho (2010)
Mauritius (2010)
Ethiopia (2011)
Sierra Leone (2012)
Zambia (2013)
Tanzania (2013)
CRR not published
Djibouti (2007, CRM 2015)
Chad (2013, CRM 2017)
Senegal (2004, CRM 2017)
Sudan 2006, (2018)
Uganda 2 (CRM 2017, 2018)
Angola (2004)
Cameroon (2004)
Congo-B (2003)
Cote d’Ivoire (2015)
Egypt (2004)
Equatorial Guinea (2014)
Gabon (2003)
The Gambia (2018)
New or slow
Liberia (2011, CRM 2017)
Malawi (2004)
Mauritania (2008)
Namibia (2017) Niger (2012)
S. Tome & Principe (2007)
Togo (2008)
Tunisia (2013) 9

10. First 23 reviews
2006: Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya 2007: South Africa, Algeria 2008: Benin, Uganda, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, 2009: Mali, Mozambique, Lesotho 2010: Mauritius 2011: Ethiopia 2012: Sierra Leone 2013: Zambia, Tanzania 2017: Chad, Djibouti, Senegal, Kenya II 2018: Sudan, Uganda II

11. Review Throughput

12. Why does the APRM matter?
Setting new norms of openness, frankness, transparency
Unparalleled in breadth, sensitive subjects covered
Honest reports assess governance at point in time
Identifies salient issues and common problems
Opens political space, normalises debate, criticism
Between non-interference & non-indifference
Early warning system, supports policy reform
2nd reviews allow comparisons
Strengthen the brand, convince others to join
Cross-boundary issues – climate, health, migration

13. Challenges Logistics, support, financing, implementation, M&E
CSOs: interested but difficulty making input, need stamina
Media: shown modest interest – process is highly technical
Time: multi-year process for most countries, slow throughput
Implementation of NPoAs
Has it worked? Ibrahim Index - governance has flatlined
Second reviews, adapt tools
Expanded mandate
Universal accession

14. Looking ahead 15th Anniversary celebrations – Kigali, March 2018
CRMs 2018: Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Niger, Mozambique (II), Ghana (II), Nigeria (II), South Africa (II)
Expanded mandate from AU – Agenda SDGs
Kagame reforms of AU – what impact?
M&E system being totally overhauled
Funding will remain critical - $200,000, SA taxpayers
Impact assessment needs work
Must clearly articulate achievements, added value

15. APRM in SADC: A Region divided
6 reviewed: South Africa (2007), Lesotho & Mozambique (2009), Mauritius (2010), Zambia & Tanzania (2013) 2 in but slow: Malawi & Angola (joined 2004) 1 newly joined: Namibia (2017) 6 not in yet: Botswana, DRC, Madagascar, Swaziland, Seychelles, Zimbabwe

16. KEY issues in SADC COUNTRY REVIEW REPORTS
Reports predicted xenophobia in SA, party tensions in Mozambique, constitutional crisis in Zambia
Managing diversity, electoral systems, separation of powers, corruption, public finance management
Land, poverty, unemployment, education, health
Inclusion of civil society crucial but contested
Good diagnosis, locally rooted, but NPoAs poor
Little evidence of peer pressure

17. APRM in NAMIBIA – opportunity to influence
Newly acceded January 2017
Institutions, personnel and plans not yet established
Organised civil society can push for inclusive, transparent institutions and process, particularly NGC and TRIs
Ostensibly well governed, but key challenges include poverty, inequality, one-party dominance, corruption, environment, extractives, treatment of San, LGBTI
Build on SAIIA and AfRO experience to train & empower civil society and MPs – develop submissions in Lesotho, SA, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

18. SONA, 11 April 2018
President Hage Geingob's State of the Nation (SONA) speech: "Namibia is now a full member of the African Peer Review Mechanism, a process that holds through peer review great potential for our political and economic governance processes. Civil society, a critical part of the APRM has already commenced discussions, and the National Planning Commission, as the lead agency shall be mobilised to start implementing a programme of action. Our work in the APRM reinforces the urgency with which we should deal with corruption and poor governance in Africa."

19. APRM Sensitisation project in Namibia (ASPIN)
Work with APRM Secretariat, IPPR and PAP (OSISA & FES)
Scoping visit Feb 2018
APRM Working Group formed?
Training workshop, April
Working Group Meeting
Help develop written submission
Validation
Rollout and media strategy

20. CREATING A SUBMISSION Make yourself heard, raise issues
Know the rules, don’t wait for govt
Identify the issues – don’t do all, but link to SAQ
Gather & analyse evidence – yours & govt’s words
Develop convincing written arguments, solutions
Circulate draft for consensus and allies
Submit to the right place at the right time

21. Thank you. Steven. Gruzd@wits. ac
Thank #ReviveAPRM on Facebook

22. Proposed methodology & timelines
Form an APRM Working Group, select key focus areas, collect research, commission CSOs and experts, compile
Scoping visit, February 2018, SA February 2018
Training workshop, April 2018
APRM Working Group meeting, June 2018
Submission development, June-September 2018 (August)
Validation, October 2018
Dissemination strategy, November 2018