Addis Ababa — Increasing aid and mobilizing business to achieve the MDGs in Africa is only one side of the coin. African governments also need to raise their game.
Given the right mix of policies, countries in Africa have a chance of meeting the poverty reduction target in Goal 1, if not by 2015 then in the years beyond. But improving governance - and being seen to improve it - is a critical ingredient if aid and investment are to flow
In the past, promises by African countries to implant 'good governance' have not always been kept and yet, without indicators and tracking systems accepted by governments themselves, it has been hard to demonstrate the extent of progress.
The key is to develop instruments that allow monitoring, embedded in a nationally owned process. That's why there is so much interest, among both African and donor countries, in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The APRM is a process in which African countries assess each other's performance against measures of good governance. The intention is to improve African policy-making through policy assessment and sharing of experiences.
Member states of the African Union can voluntarily participate in the process, which is conducted under the auspices of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). There is an independent APR Secretariat to support the process, with the help of strategic partner institutions - the Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Development Programme, and the African Development Bank.
The basic idea of APRM is that countries are assessed via two routes, both based on agreed values, codes and standards laid down in a questionnaire covering the following areas: democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development.
In the first instance, a self-assessment is conducted by the country - in a participatory manner, including all stakeholders - using the questionnaire and formulating a programme of action to address any identified shortcomings.
The second route involves an assessment by the APR Secretariat, including visits of experts to the country. The final report of the experts will be submitted to African heads of state. Gaps in the programme of action will be discussed at this highest level and peer pressure can be exercised.
The MDGs are anchored in the "socio-economic development" area of the APRM. These monitorable, time-bound targets are an integral part of the agreed assessment on governance.
Some 24 African countries have signed up to the APRM process. Ghana and Rwanda have already seen completion of the assessment by their peers. Rwanda has been able to show that it has reached gender parity in education in a relatively short period, while Ghana has made considerable progress in reducing poverty and malnutrition.
The APRM is thus a critical ingredient in achieving the MDGs.
Developing countries participating in the APRM should improve their general governance performance. By spelling out specific policy measures in the programme of action, they will develop plans to improve their performance towards reaching the MDGs.
Equally importantly, donors will get reassurance and guidance from the programme of action resulting from the APRM process, about how they can best help African governments move forward.
