The main achievements of the Secretariat over the period are :

Publication of the Reports on Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda and presentation of the reports to the Pan-African Parliament ;

Finalisation of the Country Review Report for South Africa ;

Fielding the Review Mission to Algeria ;

Organisation of the Country Support Mission to Lesotho ;

An advance mission dispatched to Zambia to assist the country to prepare for the review process ;

Monitoring progress in the implementation of the process with other countries participating in the APRM.

Dr Kouassi reports that countries being considered for advance, support and follow-up missions in early 2007 include Egypt, Mali, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Zambia. It is expected that Support Missions to these countries will be sent in the first quarter of 2007.

Furthermore the Secretariat is keen on monitoring progress in the self-assessment process in countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Benin has completed its self-assessment but the validation is constrained by lack of resources.

In Tanzania, a long time has elapsed between the fielding of the Support Mission and the inauguration of the National Governing Council and the Secretariat is of the view that it would be prudent to send a follow-up mission to the country in early 2007.

In Mozambique, the self-assessment was delayed pending the mobilisation of funds and the exercise is expected to start in February 2007. Some follow-up is needed to assist in organising the whole process.

Countries making progress but requiring Panel guidance on the way forward include Nigeria, Gabon and Sudan.

The Secretariat urges the Peer Review Panel to deliberate and provide guidance on the way forward with Sudan, considering in particular the internal political problems associated with Darfur and their impact on the implementation of the APRM. 

Dr Kouassi reports there is concern over the countries where reviews were launched, some as early as 2004, but where the review appears to have stalled. These include Mauritius (June 2004) and Uganda (February 2005).

Various reasons have been advanced for the delay in these countries. Mauritius has indicated matters relating to the change in government as well as the lack of resources for the process.

Recent reports indicate that Uganda is making some progress but it is of concern that the country self-assessment report has not been submitted, nearly two years after the launching of the process.

Other countries where not much progress has been reported since their accession to the APRM include Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia and Senegal. Source : NEPAD News, February 9, 2007