9. As the country prepares its CSAR, including the NPoA, the APR Secretariat prepares a comprehensive background document on the country. Document preparation draws on up-to-date information from national, sub-regional, regional, and international sources. The background paper serves to cross-check the information from the CSAR. 10. On the basis of the CSAR, the NPoA, and the Background Papers, the APR Secretariat develops an Issues Paper outlining the key issues for the review process to focus on. The following are the main considerations in the preparation of the Issues Paper. Stage Two 11. During the second stage, a Country Review Mission under the leadership of the APR Panel visits the country to carry out the widest possible range of consultations with Government, officials, political parties, parliamentarians, and representatives of civil society organisations, including the media, academia, trades unions, business and professional bodies [APRM Base Document, paragraph 18]. The main CRM objectives are: i) to learn about the different stakeholders’ perspectives on governance in the country; and, ii) clarify issues identified in the Issues Paper and build consensus on how to tackle the different issues. Stage Three 12. The main activity under Stage Three is drafting the Country Review Report. This drafting is informed by the CSAR and the NPoA, the Background Paper and the Issues Paper, as well as information made available to the CRM during the wide-ranging national stakeholder consultations. 13. The draft CRR takes into account the applicable political, economic and corporate governance and socio-economic development commitments made in the preliminary Plan of Action, identifies any remaining weaknesses, and recommends further action for inclusion in the final Programme of Action. The draft report will need to be clear and specific on required action wherever outstanding issues are identified. 14. The draft Country Review Report is first discussed and validated by the APR Panel. It is then sent to the Government concerned to verify the accuracy of the information. Government is given an opportunity to respond to the findings and put forward its own view on how the shortcomings could be rectified. These responses are appended to the CRR. At this stage, the country finalises its NPoA, taking into account the Report’s conclusions and recommendations. Stage Four 15. Stage Four involves the submission by the APR Panel of the CRR, together with the country’s final NpoA, to the APR Forum for peer review and, subsequently, for implementation according to the APR Forum’s mandate. If the country demonstrates a strong will to rectify identified shortcomings, it is incumbent on participating governments to provide assistance to the extent they can, and to urge development partners and agencies to come to that country’s assistance. Stage Five 16. The final stage of the APRM process entails the formal publication and presentation of the country review report to various institutions, after examination by the APR Forum. Key institutions include the regional and sub-regional structures, such as the Regional Economic Community (REC) to which the country belongs, the Pan-African 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. 24