EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _____________________________________________________________________ the ninth country to be assessed. The mission comprised 19 African experts selected for their competence and experience in the focus areas covered by the APRM. They were drawn from 12 member states of the AU and from the Secretariat of the APRM, strategic partners and independent experts. They were Mr Mbaya J. Kankwenda, Mr Donatien Bihute, Mr Ousmane, Mr Diallo, Mr Yenikoye Ismael Aboubacar, Mr Karim Ben Kahla, Mr Léopold Donfack Sokeng, Mr Babacar Gueye, Mr Guy Fortunat Ranaivomanana, Mrs Houda Mejri, Mr Daniel Gbetnkom, Mr Moise Nembot, Mrs Sylvie Kinigi, Mr Kango Lare-Lantone, Mr Mahmoud Ben Romdhane, Mr Omar Saïp Sy, Mr Dalmar Jama and Ms Atany Kagnaguine. 1.3 Activities carried out during the assessment mission 1.10 The activities of the CRM began with the official launching of the assessment by the president of the republic in the presence of the constituent bodies and development stakeholders. It was followed by a press conference. The head of state granted audiences to the mission, including a working lunch. This was followed by a meeting with the prime minister. The mission later had discussions with the presidents of the institutions of the republic, civil society and the private sector. 1.11 After contact was made, the CRM organised seminars with 35 ministers and deputy ministers of the Cabinet. During these seminars, the assessment team held in-depth discussions with the ministers on the strategic orientations of the country, the stakes and challenges of governance and on ongoing programmes. 1.12 The CRM worked in three stages: the stage in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso; the regional stage; and the restitution phase of the mission. In Ouagadougou, the mission first met with the focal point and the NC-APRM to discuss the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR). During the following five days, the mission met all the stakeholders – including civil society and the private sector – first in a plenary session and then in thematic workshops. 1.13 The assessment team then visited the 13 regions of the country and organised meetings in the following capitals: Zignaré, Kaya, Dori, Bobo-Dioulasso, Banfora, Gaoua, Ouahigouya, Koudougou, Dédougou, Tenkodogo, Fada, Manga and Ouagadougou. On each occasion, it met all the stakeholders in a plenary session, followed by thematic workshops, and finally in another plenary session during which the results of the workshops were presented and validated. In all the places it visited, the CRM was pleased that the population had responded enthusiastically to the invitation of the APRM and that they had met the expectations of the evaluators by analysing governance with insight and in an articulated manner. 1.14 Finally, a restitution meeting was held at the end of the stay. It was chaired by the president of Faso and attended by the prime minister and the chairperson of the NC-APRM. During this working session, the assessment team presented the main provisional findings of the consultations. It emphasised the major 3