The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member State of the African Union (AU) as an African self-monitoring mechanism.

The mandate of the APRM is to encourage participating Member States in ensuring that their policies and practices conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and that mutually agreed objectives in socio-economic development contained in the New Partnership for African's Development (NEPAD) are achieved.

Kenya was among the first four African states along with Ghana, Rwanda and Mauritius, to accede to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in March, 2004 in Abuja Nigeria.

The Pillars of the APRM are built upon the following four pillars:

APRM Process
The APRM process starts with the preparation of a self-assessment report, which is based on a questionnaire developed by the APRM Secretariat. The APRM Country Support Mission, led by one of the Eminent Persons (Prof. Amos Sawyer in the case of Kenya) visits the country and judges the process of self-assessment and the drafting of a National Programme of Action. The subsequent APRM Review Mission holds extensive consultations in the country and prepares a report based on the self-assessment and own findings. This APRM Country Review Report is presented to the APR Forum, and the President of the country concerned submits to peer review, the peers being the Presidents of other participating countries.  So far, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, Benin, Uganda, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Lesotho have been reviewed.

APRM Contributions in Kenya
Vision 2030 has been built on the APRM pillars of political, economic, corporate governance and socio-economic development. The Waki and Kriegler reports used the findings of the Country Review Report. This Report is still widely referred to by donors and CSOs.

The President directed that 30 percent of women be recruited into public positions after having been questioned on this by his peers during the country review in Banjul. Establishment of the Ministry for Youth and for Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands was a recommendation of the Country Review Report. Finalization of a national land policy was anotherrecommendation, which been taken on vigorously by civil society, and led to the adoption of the policy by the Cabinet in June 2009.

South - South Learning and Exchanges on APRM

As an innovative African owned governance assessment mechanism, the APRM has been not only lauded globally but is a tool for mutual learning amongst member states. It has proven a fertile ground for strengthening south Cooperation at a time when Africa is striving to bring south-south dialogue from the margins to the centre of international development frameworks.

South-South Cooperation in the context of APRM encompasses and embraces experience sharing, technology and skills transfer of successful practices and models which are better placed to respond to the needs and problems of member beneficiary states. Some practices that could be clearly benchmarked include; systems for Monitoring implementation of NPoA, Engagement of civil society to create national demand for APRM accountability and; Development and Sustenance of robust dialogues on the process.

It is a cost-effective option to north-south alternatives as experts are drawn from the region, the training is localised, and other facilities such as travel and accommodation are often cheaper.

These exchanges if well nurtured can shape the future development discourse on mutual learning and sharing on good governance in the continent.

The Select Inter - Ministerial Committee
APR Chair and Lead Panelist for Kenya together with members of the Country Review Team arrive in Kenya on 8th November,2012 to hold dialogue with the select Inter-Ministerial Committee on the APRM that will take place from the 10 - 11th November, 2012.