CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: THE APRM PROCESS AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN BURKINA FASO _____________________________________________________________________ Box no. 1.1: APRM progress report Widely proclaimed as the jewel in the crown of NEPAD, the APRM is a unique mechanism that allows the exchange of information and good practices between peers, based on mutual trust between states and their common faith in the peer review process. It is also a commitment to standards of good governance in Africa, a commitment that allows the codes and standards embodied in the Declaration on Democracy and Political, Economic and Corporate Governance to be implemented. Stakeholder ownership and national leadership are essential for the effectiveness of the process. Such leadership is that as practised with regard to other existing national processes, namely the processes as set out in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), in the MTEF, in the National Plans of Action on Human Rights, in the strategies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in ongoing institutional reforms and poverty reduction strategies, as well as in other relevant strategies on governance and socioeconomic development, and related programmes and projects. Twenty-eight AU member countries have so far voluntarily acceded to the APRM. Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda were the first 15 countries to become part of the APRM. Benin and Egypt signed the MOU and thus became members during the AU Extraordinary Summit held in Sirte, Libya, in February 2004. In July 2004, five other countries – Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Tanzania – became part of the APRM during the AU Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Later on, two other countries – Sudan and Zambia – became part of the mechanism during the APRM Forum Summit held in Khartoum, Sudan, in January 2006. São Tomé and Príncipe signed the MOU during the NEPAD Implementation Committee meeting held in Addis Ababa in January 2007. Djibouti acceded to the APRM during the Forum Summit held in Accra, Ghana, in July 2007, and Mauritania signed the MOU in January 2008 during the APRM Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, thus giving it the status of a full member of the APRM. The first countries to be reviewed were Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Rwanda, with such reviews taking place in 2004. To date, reviews have been conducted in nine countries: Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, Benin, Uganda, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria and Benin were peer reviewed during the APRM Forum Summit held in Khartoum, Banjul, Accra and Addis Ababa. 3. So far, 28 African countries that are members of the AU have voluntarily acceded to the APRM. Membership of the APRM requires that the signatory state commit itself to undergo periodic peer reviews and to be guided by agreed instruments in order to implement sound political, economic and corporate governance, as well as sound socioeconomic development, by way of its programme of action. 4. The APRM process comprises stages, which are defined in the APRM Base Document. These phases are briefly described below. 5. Phase one is a preparatory phase, both at the level of the APR Secretariat and at national level. Under the leadership of the APR Panel, the secretariat sends the country to be reviewed a questionnaire covering the four areas of APRM concern. The country concerned then leads a self-evaluation exercise based on 38