Introduction: The APRM and its Implementation in Mauritius 7. It is important to note that the country plays a mainly facilitative role during the visit, in order to ensure that the CRM can carry out its review efficiently. The CRM has full access to all sources of information and to the different stakeholders, as provided for in the MoU on the Technical Assessment Mission and on the CSAR signed by the country under review and the APRM. 8. During phase three, the report of the CRM is drafted. It is based on the CSAR, the background documents, and questions prepared by the APR Secretariat, and on information obtained from both official and unofficial sources during the wide-ranging consultations held with stakeholders during the review visit. 9. The draft report: • • • 10. 11. 44 Chapter 1 Considers the applicable political, economic, corporate governance and socioeconomic development commitments made in the preliminary NPoA. Identifies any remaining weaknesses. Recommends further actions to be included in the final NPoA. The draft report is first examined by the APR Panel, its official author. It should be clear about the specific actions to be taken in cases where major issues have been identified. The draft report is initially discussed with the government concerned in order to ensure accuracy of information. This, therefore, is an opportunity for the government to react to the CRM’s findings and to formulate its own views on the weaknesses that have been identified and which must be corrected. The government’s responses should be appended to the CRM’s report on its findings and to the recommendations made in the draft report by the APR Panel, together with the NPoA finalised by the country. Phase four begins when the CRM’s final report and the country’s final NPoA are sent to the APR Secretariat and the APR Panel. The APR Panel then submits these to the APR Forum of participating heads of state, and to the government under review for consideration and for the formulation of actions deemed necessary in accordance with the forum’s mandate. If the country shows a willingness to rectify the identified shortcomings, participating governments should provide whatever assistance they can, as well as urge donor governments and agencies to assist the country under review. Chapter 1 Introduction: The APRM and its Implementation in Mauritius 12. Phase five is the final phase of the APRM process. Six months after the report has been considered by the heads of state and government of the participating member countries, the report is formally and publicly tabled in key regional and subregional structures. These include the regional economic community to which the country belongs, the PanAfrican Parliament, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Peace and Security Council, and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the AU. 13. The timeline for these processes may vary considerably, depending on the country being reviewed and its specific characteristics. The anticipated duration of each peer review from phase one to the end of phase four is between six and nine months. 14. This report marks the third phase of the APRM process in Mauritius. It presents the findings of the CRM to Mauritius, as well as the APR Panel’s recommendations. 1.2 The implementation of the APRM process in Mauritius 15. Mauritius signed the MoU on 9 March 2003, indicating to its people and the international community that its political leaders were committed to observing the principles of democracy, socioeconomic development and good political, economic and corporate governance through periodic reviews by its African peers. 16. After acceding to the APRM, the prime minister immediately vested the implementation of the APRM process in Mauritius in the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) of 23 members, and designated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade (MoFARIIT) to be the APR Focal Point. The NESC then established a National Secretariat for the National Coordinating Structure (NSC), and a Steering Committee (SC) comprising one representative from each of the following: MoFARIIT, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Finance and Economic Empowerment (MOFEE), the NESC, trade union organisations, and the Joint Economic Council (JEC). The main responsibilities of the SC are the monitoring and evaluating of the work of the Research Institution, with a view to alleviating administrative constraints, advising on administrative and financial issues relating to the APRM process, and keeping the funding partners of the APRM process informed of progress. The Country Support Mission launching the self-assessment exercise was fielded in June 2004. 45