A renewed push for accountability and governance reform across Africa took centre stage in Addis Ababa as policymakers convened for the induction, orientation and 114th meeting of the African Peer Review Panel of Eminent Persons under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The meeting, held under the framework of the continental governance monitoring system, brought together leaders tasked with strengthening oversight, peer learning and institutional accountability among African states.
Representing the Chairperson of the APR Forum, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Uganda’s Minister of State for Planning Amos Lugoloobi described the induction as a reaffirmation of Africa’s commitment to improving governance through self-assessment and peer review.
He emphasised that the APRM, established in 2003, remains a uniquely African-led framework intended to promote transparency, accountability and shared learning among member states.
“As custodians of the integrity, credibility, and independence of the Mechanism, your role is both strategic and normative,” Lugoloobi said, urging the panel to safeguard the founding principles of the governance instrument.
The session also marked a leadership transition, with Olive Mugenda assuming the chairpersonship of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons, a body responsible for guiding governance reviews across participating countries.
Panel members were urged to strengthen political commitment among governments, ensure national ownership of the review process, and push for the implementation of recommendations within domestic development frameworks. Emphasis was also placed on independence, objectivity and professionalism in executing their mandate.
Lugoloobi expressed confidence that the new leadership would strengthen the APRM’s impact across the continent, particularly in addressing governance bottlenecks and improving institutional performance.
Over its 23-year existence, the APRM has conducted 48 peer reviews and expanded participation to 45 of the African Union’s 55 member states, reflecting growing continental engagement in governance reform and accountability mechanisms.