An African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Delegation is undertaking a Follow-up Mission in Sierra Leone. The Mission, which commenced its activities on 12 April 2011, is led by Barrister Akere Muna, a member of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons appointed in March 2011 to supervise the review of this West African country in the areas of Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Socio-economic Development and Corporate Governance...

1. Chief Executive Officer
Mr Assefa Shifa
African Peer Review Mechanism Secretariat (APRM)
P.O. Box 1234, Halfway House
Midrand 1685, South Africa.
Physical Address:
International Bus. Gateway, Cnr Challenger &
Colombia Ave; Gateway Park B; Second Floor
Midridge Park; Midrand; Halfway House
Tel: +27 (0) 11 256 3417
Fax: +27 (0) 11 256 3456
Email : assefas@nepad.org
Website: www.aprm-international.org
Le Directeur Général du
Secrétariat du Mécanisme Africain
d’Evaluation par les Pairs (APRM)
B.P : 1234. Halfway House, Midrand 1685, Afrique du Sud
Adresse Géographique :
International Bus. Gateway, Cnr Challenger & Colombia
Ave; Gateway Park B; Second Floor;
Midridge Park; Midrand; Halfway House
Tel : +27 (0)11 256 3417
Fax : +27 (0)11 256 3456
E-mail: assefas@nepad.org
Website: www.aprm-international.org
APRM / PRESS RELEASE No. 14
Governance – Sierra Leone: Follow up mission in Freetown
Midrand/Johannesburg (South Africa) - April 12, 2011. An African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
Delegation is undertaking a Follow-up Mission in Sierra Leone. The Mission, which commenced its activities on
12 April 2011, is led by Barrister Akere Muna, a member of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons appointed in
March 2011 to supervise the review of this West African country in the areas of Democracy and Political
Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Socio-economic Development and Corporate
Governance.
In Freetown, the capital, Barrister Akere Muna will hold talks with His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma,
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. He will also meet with local authorities in charge of the APRM,
particularly Alhaji Alpha Kanu, Minister of Political and Public Affairs, who also serves as the National APRM
Focal Point.
Barrister Akere Muna will have a working session with Dr. Osman Gbla, an experienced academic,
Chairperson of the National Governing Council, the structure that was officially launched on 15 September
2008 by the Head of State of Sierra Leone.
The various exchanges will enable the APRM Delegation to prepare for the Review Mission scheduled for May
2011 in Sierra Leone.
Barrister Akere Muna, the founder and former President of the Cameroonian branch of Transparency
International (TI), is conversant with this exercise. He was in charge of the Review Process of Ethiopia, whose
report was presented and discussed at the 14th
Forum of Heads of State and Government Participating in the
APRM on 29 January 2011 in Addis Ababa.
The current Vice-President of Transparency International, who is also Chairman of the Economic, Social and
Cultural Council of the African Union (AU-ECOSOCC), is accompanied in Freetown by Dr. Moïse Nembot and
Mr. Dalmar Jama, respectively Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the APRM Secretariat and Research Analyst.
The mission ends on 15 April 2011.
Sierra Leone has been a member of the APRM since 2004. The decision to send a Mission there was taken on
15 March 2011 during the 48th
Meeting of the APRM Panel that was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
► Press Contact: +27 839 444 975 / +33 6 28 14 52 15 ● Email: ouendji@nno-mediasolutions.com

2. AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM (APRM) IN BRIEF
Established in 2003 under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), APRM is an instrument that
is voluntarily acceded to by African Union (AU) member States. A country formally joins by ratifying the African
Union Declaration Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) adopted in Durban in July 2002.
The primary purpose of APRM is to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political
stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental
economic integration through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practices. Every
review exercise carried out under the authority of the Mechanism must be technically competent, credible and
free of political or diplomatic manipulation.
At the continental level, the Mechanism is run by three main institutions.
▪ The APR Forum. It is made up of Heads of State and Government of member countries. It is the highest
decision-making body of APRM and meets twice a year.
▪ The Panel of Eminent Persons (APR Panel). Its members are appointed by the Forum to independently
oversee the review process, to ensure its integrity, to consider review reports and make recommendations to
the Forum. It meets at least six times a year.
▪ APRM Secretariat. Based in the Midrand, South Africa, the Secretariat coordinates the activities of APRM
and provides it with technical, administrative and other support. It has built a database of the political,
economic and social situation of its member States. It further proposes performance indicators and monitors
and analyses the results of each country concerned.
APRM currently has 30 member countries1
, 14 of which have already been reviewed. The African
Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) are its three main strategic partners.
WITH REGARD TO REPORTS DISCUSSED AT APRM FORUMS: No later than six months following
discussions on its content, the Country Review Report reviewed by the APR Forum of Heads of State and
Government is officially and publicly submitted to sub-regional and regional institutions. These include the
Pan-African Parliament, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Peace and Security Council
and the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC). The report is then made available to
the public.
1
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi,
Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania,
Togo, Uganda and Zambia.