"Important milestone" in advancing the Peer Review process in Africa

The report of a workshop held to discuss how to streamline and fast-track the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process was handed over to the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons at its meeting in Algiers on 10 November 2007. The outcome of the workshop was described by the Panel as “an important milestone” in advancing the Peer Review process in Africa.

The workshop, organised in partnership with the Algerian Government and hosted by the National Economic and Social Council of Algeria from 7-9 November 2007, brought together over 100 participants.

Among those attending were representatives of APRM focal points, members of the national governing councils and technical experts from 13 countries that have already finalised or launched the self-assessment process, as well as strategic partners and national technical research institutions.

The APRM Panel, at its 26th meeting, reviewed the report of the workshop, which was one of the planned programmes for experience sharing and peer learning.

During its three-day session, the workshop undertook a detailed review of the experience gained since launching the Peer Review process in Africa in 2003 on the basis of the five countries that have been reviewed — Algeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa — and the eight countries that are at an advanced stage in the process.

The objectives of the workshop were :

To deliberate on the methodology of the APRM process from inception to completion ;

To make proposals for the revision of the questionnaire and the design of a prototype research framework for review ;

To improve monitoring and evaluation and guidelines for reporting on the national programme of action and to develop a communication strategy.

Four commissions were set up to study these issues in detail.

The APRM Panel expressed its gratitude to the workshop participants for their recommendations for the improvement of the APRM process. The Panel has already begun to work on the recommendations with a view to making proposals to the Heads of State and Government.

The Panel also expressed its gratitude to President Bouteflika, one of the founding Heads of State of the African Peer Review Mechanism, as well as to the Government and people of Algeria for hosting this important event. Source : NEPAD, npvember 23, 2007

Donors sign up with Rwanda to expedite implementation of CAADP

Nearly 300 agricultural experts and policymakers, stakeholders from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), development partners, representatives of international organisations, the African Union and NEPAD have met in Kigali, Rwanda, for a roundtable on NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

The meeting ended with endorsement of the Rwanda CAADP COMPACT — a mutual commitment between the Government of Rwanda, the African Union, NEPAD, COMESA and development partners to the CAADP agenda.

The COMPACT was signed by Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, James Musoni, and by the Minister of Agriculture, Anastase Murekezi, on behalf of Rwanda. The World Bank Country Manager who is also co-chair of the Rwanda donor platform, Victoria Kwakwa, signed on behalf of donors, Sindiso Ngwenya, COMESA Assistant Secretary-General on behalf of COMESA, and the AU Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rosebud Kurwijila on behalf of the AU and NEPAD.

Said Minister Musoni : “We expect the COMPACT to be a tool for aligning and harmonising our interventions and efforts in the development of our country especially in the field of agriculture.

“We hope that our CAADP roundtable and others that will follow will be an opportunity for the establishment of a forum for experience sharing, dialogue and peer reviewing to achieve the CAADP targets set in all COMESA countries…Let us strengthen our partnership and dialogue so that we can accelerate this development agenda”.

An important lesson for other countries Victoria Kwakwa said the COMPACT was a reflection of committed leadership and of the ground work to harmonise different efforts to alleviate poverty.

“Rwanda again is leading the way in this very important initiative, the reason being the strong Government leadership, particularly in the development of agriculture. This is an important lesson for other countries on the continent and I encourage them to emulate this example”.

The COMPACT stipulates a shared framework for strategic planning and implementation, and for partnership and development assistance in the agriculture sector, as reflected in the 2003 Maputo pledge of African Heads of State to work towards an annual growth rate of 6 % in agriculture and to allocate 10% of national budgets to the sector.

The ultimate goal of the CAADP process in Rwanda is to help define a long-term framework to guide the planning and implementation of the economic development and poverty reduction strategy (EDPRS) and the strategic plan for agricultural transformation (PSTA) programmes towards achieving Rwanda’s “Vision 2020”.

The country level CAADP implementation process is primarily one of aligning national agricultural sector policies, strategies, and investment programmes with CAADP principles and targets, in particular the 6% growth rate and 10% public expenditure share for the sector.

The process builds on ongoing country efforts and is led by national governments and other stakeholders, with the necessary support from the Regional Economic Communities, as with COMESA for Rwanda. Source : NEPAD, npvember 23, 2007