its own view on how the shortcomings could be rectified. These responses are appended to the CRR. At this stage, the country finalises its NPOA, taking into account the conclusions and recommendations of the draft report. Stage Four 31. The submission of the CRR and the country’s final NPOA to the APR Panel by the Panel Member leading the country’s peer review process marks the beginning of this stage of the APRM process. On the Panel’s approval, the report is submitted to the APR Forum for presentation and peer review and, subsequently, for implementation according to the mandate of the APR Forum. If the country demonstrates a strong will to rectify the identified shortcomings, it is incumbent on participating governments to provide assistance to the extent they can, and to urge development partners and agencies to come to the assistance of that country. Stage Five 32. The final stage entails the formal publication and presentation of the CRR to various institutions after it has been considered by the APR Forum. The key institutions include the regional and subregional structures, such as the regional economic community to which the country belongs, the Pan-African Parliament, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Peace and Security Council, and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the AU. 33. The timeline for the completion of the peer review process is expected to vary considerably among countries, depending on each country’s specificities. The anticipated duration of each peer review from the onset of Stage One to the end of Stage Four is 9–12 months. 1.4 APRM Principles 34. The effectiveness of the APRM is dependent on a number of essential factors and principles, such as national ownership and leadership by the participating country; inclusiveness and broad-based participation; accountability; technical competence; credibility; and freedom from manipulation. 35. Rules and procedures incorporating these principles have been developed to guide all stakeholders in the conduct of the review process. They include the APRM Base Documents; the “Guidelines for Countries to Prepare for and to Participate in the APRM” (Country Guidelines); and the standard questionnaire for APRM assessment that is sent to all countries. 48 A P R M COU N T RY R EV IEW R EP ORT NO. 11