Uganda's African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) status
Uganda adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) strategy and acceded to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in 2003. The APRM is the mutually agreed instrument and voluntarily acceded to by Member States of the African Union as an African self-monitoring mechanism.
The mandate of the African Peer Review Mechanism is to ensure that the policies and practices of participating states conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance.
In Uganda, this process has been spearheaded by the APRM commission which provides guidance and direction to the APRM Unit and located in the National Planning Authority.
The support of UNDP in Uganda is primarily to assist the Government of Uganda in conducting the APRM process in the country through managing the multi-donor basket comprising of DANIDA, DFID and UNDP.
UNDP support has been to capacity building and institutional support to the APRM Unit. DANIDA contributed 420,000 USDs($) which was primarily focusing on communication and advocacy whereas DFID contributed GBPs (£) 30,000 which was primarily focused at; Country self assessment, technical assistance, research facilitation as well as validation of the country self assessment report activities
Since the inauguration of the project/Unit and Commission considerable progress has been made in the implementation of the APRM process in Uganda. These include but not limited to:
Production of the Country Self Assessment Report (CSAR) – The development of this CSAR was developed through grass root consultations and national validation before it was presented to H.E the President on Saturday 19th January 2008. This was publicised and officially submitted to the Africa Peer Review Panel to facilitate the External Review Mission
Development of National Programme of Action (PoA) - National Programme of Action is to guide and mobilise the country’s efforts in implementing the necessary changes to improve the state of governance and socio-economic development. The National Planning Authority is setting up mechanisms for ensuring effective implementation and monitoring of the POA. Currently, a framework is in place for integrating the POA into the National Development Plan (NDP), the successor of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP). The APRM Unit has drawn up strategies for implementing and monitoring the POA and a road map was formulated to this effect. In consultations with relevant government institutions and professional accountants the APRM Commission completed the final costing of Programme of Action and submitted to the APR Panel of Eminent Persons on 30th April 1 2008. In accordance with the APRM Guidelines, His Excellency the President will present a Semi-annual and Annual Progress Reports on the implementation of the Programme of Action to his peers in January 2009 and June 2009, respectively.
The Country Review Mission (CRM)- is a Panel of Eminent persons led by Prof. Adebayo Adedeje, Chairperson APRM Panel of Eminent Persons that visited Uganda from 3rd- 24th February, 2008. The key objective of the CRM was to ascertain the extent to which the report and Programme of Action reflects the views of the people of Uganda. During the Country Review Mission (CRM), the team consulted widely with all the key stakeholders, government inclusive. The mission findings fed into the development of the Country Review Report (CRR).
Preparation of the Government’s Response on the Country Review Report- Following the completion of the Country Review Mission, Prof. Adedeji Adebayo submitted a draft CRR to Government of Uganda, through the APRM Focal Point on 8th April 2008 to enable the Government to officially pronounce itself on the content of the CRR. A cabinet committee prepared the Government’s Response and submitted it to the APR Panel of Eminent Persons on 30th April 2008.
Peer Review of Uganda; Uganda was successfully Peer Reviewed on 29th June 2008 during the African Union (AU) Summit in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt and the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was Peer Reviewed by his fellow Heads of State of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) participating countries. During the Peer Review of Uganda, the President responded on the implementation of the APRM National Programme of Action (POA) arising from the recommendations from the Country Review Report (CRR).
After the Peer Review, the report will be made public after incorporating issues that arose during the Peer Review of Uganda at the APRM Summit in Egypt. The CRR will also be publicly tabled in key regional and continental structures such as the Pan African Parliament and the African Commission on Human and People Rights.
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