The main objective of this phase is to hold the broadest possible consultations with Government, representatives of political parties, business groups, civil society, rural communities and strategic partners, as well as accredited African ambassadors in the country.

The aim is to deepen and to complete the country’s self-assessment report and to make recommendations likely to improve good governance in the country. Ms Savané was accompanied by a strong delegation of about 20 high- level experts, including APRM strategic partners such as the African Development Bank (ADB), the Regional Bureau for Africa of the UNDP and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Members of the APRM Secretariat working on the four thematic areas of the review — democracy and political governance, governance and economic management, corporate governance and socio-economic governance — were also part of the delegation.

On Sunday 12 November Algieria’s President Bouteflika received the Chairperson of the APRM delegation for a five hour interview, confirming his personal commitment to good governance. He assured Ms Savané that Algeria would be like a glass house, guaranteeing the utmost transparency.

Abdelaziz Belkhadem, Head of Government, also received Ms Savané and members of the mission at the beginning and end of their stay. At these meetings he reiterated the importance the Algerian Government attaches to the promotion of good governance in all sectors of political, economic and social life of the country.

Ms Savané and the members of the mission also held working sessions with the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Employment and National Solidarity, Minister for Family and Women’s Position in Society, Minister for Rural Development, as well as with the Secretary-General of the National Defence Ministry.

The mission’s work programme was essentially based on meetings with the National Commission on Governance and on meetings with players from the public sector, the private sector and civil society, then on workshops organised around the four APRM themes.

The visit to Algeria also gave the mission the opportunity of being informed on the progress made by the country in national reconciliation, reconstruction and strengthening of peace and stability.

Visits at grass-roots level enabled the APRM delegation to fully assess the positive effects on the living conditions of the population of the policy of national reconciliation put in place by President Bouteflika.

Finally, the delegation met members of the African diplomatic corps in order to inform them on the state of progress of the APR Mechanism in Africa in general and in Algeria in particular. The meeting with African diplomats also allowed for their opinion on the APRM as an instrument likely to favour African integration within the framework of NEPAD.

In the many instances that she spoke to the press, in Algiers and in the different parts of the country, Ms Savané emphasised the need for broad participation by civil society and other social partners to give transparency and credibility to the process.

The mission team will return to Algeria in March 2007 to complete its work and to finalise its report that will be presented to the Panel of Eminent Persons of the APRM. 

The Panel will submit its final report together with commentary from Algeria to the Forum for Heads of State and Government at its session in June 2007.

Source : nepad news, february 2, 2007