EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The APR process 1. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), widely heralded as the crown jewel of the New Partnership of African Development (NEPAD), is a mutually agreed instrument which members of the African Union (AU) have voluntary acceded to as part of an African self-monitoring mechanism. The primary purpose of the APRM is to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that will lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration. This will be done through sharing experiences and reinforcing successful and best practice, including identifying deficiencies and assessing the needs of capacity building. Ghana and the APRM 2. Ghana has been a trailblazer and a shining example in the APRM process, being among the first group of countries to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 9 March 2003. Ghana subsequently created a Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD in March 2003. The NAPRM-GC is the designated focal point for the APRM in the country. 3. Ghana instituted a National Governing Council in compliance with the requirement for participating countries to have an independent selfassessment of its governance record in the four APRM focus areas (Democracy and Political Governance; Economic Governance and Management; Corporate Governance; Socio-Economic Development). This Council comprised highly qualified and esteemed professionals and public personalities independent of the government. The Governing Council appointed four reputable national independent think-tanks and research institutions to undertake the country self-assessment in each of the four thematic areas of the APRM and to make appropriate recommendations to guide the Council in drafting a National Programme of Action (POA). Ghana submitted its final consolidated self-assessment report and a draft National POA to the APRM Secretariat in March 2005. The Country Review Mission 4. A sixteen-member Country Review Mission (CRM) comprising experts from the APRM Secretariat, partner institutions, and independent consultants, and reflecting 12