CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: THE APRM PROCESS AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN BURKINA FASO _____________________________________________________________________ the questionnaire and, if necessary, with the assistance of the APR Secretariat and/or APRM partner institutions. Once the self-evaluation is completed, the country prepares a preliminary programme of action based on existing policies, programmes and projects in order to address the issues, challenges and governance problems noted. The CSAR and the preliminary programme of action are then submitted to the APR Secretariat. During the same period, the latter prepares a background document on the country. This document is based on relevant and updated document research and information collection with regard to the status of governance and development in the country in the four areas of evaluation. 6. Phase two involves the CRM. Under the leadership of the APR Panel, the CRM travels to the country concerned. The CRM’s priority is to go beyond the confines of the CSAR and to engage in as much consultation as possible with the government, officials, political parties, parliamentarians and civil society representatives, including the media, academia, trade unions, the business community and professional organisations. Its main objectives are to: • ascertain the perspectives of different stakeholders in terms of governance in the country; • highlight the challenges identified in the documents relating to issues that are not reflected in the country’s preliminary programme of action; and • establish consensus as to how these issues can be addressed. 7. It is important to note that the country concerned plays a facilitating role during the visit in order to ensure that the CRM can conduct its evaluation effectively. The CRM has access to all sources of information and to the relevant stakeholders in accordance with the MOU on the Technical Assessment Mission and on the CRM signed by the country and the APRM. 8. In phase three, the report of the CRM is drafted. This report builds on the CSAR, the background documents and the issues prepared by the APR Secretariat, as well as on information drawn from official and unofficial sources during extensive consultations with stakeholders during the CRM. 9. The purpose of the draft report is to: 10. • consider applicable commitments made in the preliminary programme of action regarding political, economic and corporate governance, and socioeconomic development; • identify all the weaknesses that still exist; and • recommend the inclusion of additional actions in the final programme of action. The draft report is first discussed by the APR Panel, which is officially the author of such report. The report must be clear as to the specific actions to be 39