Governance Perspectives is a monthly update published by the Governance and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Governance Perspectives aims to contribute to a robust and informed debate on the nature of Africa's governance challenges and successes. We hope to keep civil society groups, researchers, governments and development partners informed about issues relating to governance, accountability and democracy. Each month, Governance Perspectives will feature SAIIA Occasional Papers as well as opinion articles, and links to interesting, relevant new material.
We hope that you will visit our website to subscribe in order to continue receiving this newsletter, and look forward to hearing your views. Steven Gruzd, programme head, APRM Programme, steven.gruzd@wits.ac.za
APRM in the News
APRM Gears Up for 13th Forum Meeting. The members of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the end of June 2010, to prepare for the forthcoming APRM Forum to be held in Kampala, Uganda on 25 July. Although it had earlier been expected that the heads of state peer reviews of Ethiopia and Mauritius would take place in Kampala, at the time of writing, this appeared unlikely. Discussion is therefore likely to focus on the progress of implementing APRM National Programmes of Action (although South Africa will now only submit its own report in January 2011), the proposed revisions to the APRM Questionnaire, and possibly the posts advertised for a Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and Coordinator: Country Review Process. Observers will be keenly watching for indications of the future direction of the APRM, as this will be the first Forum where the four new panel members will participate.
Tanzania’s Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) Suggests Progress in Economic and Corporate Governance. AllAfrica.com reports on “an endorsement seminar” for the Tanzanian CSAR in Dar Es Salaam on 20 June where advances in the management of the macroeconomy and the growing role of the private sector in growth and wealth creation were highlighted, but also suggested the need to tighten up the country’s corporate governance framework, and awareness of corporate governance principles and practices. Despite achievements, the CSAR identified capacity constraints and funding as two critical obstacles to better service delivery, especially in rural areas. The completion of the CSAR marks progress, given Tanzania’s extremely slow process, having acceded to the APRM in July 2004. Tanzania’s draft National Programme of Action has also been uploaded.
Zambian NGOs critical of local APRM process. The Post Online reported on 13 June that Zambia’s Civil Society APRM Secretariat criticised the lack of information being made public about the APRM in Zambia, including an updated “road map” for the process, and the status of the Country Self-Assessment Report. A consortium of nine CSOs is represented – Anti Voter Apathy Project; Caritas Zambia; Foundation for Democratic Process; Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection; Law Association Zambia; Media Institute of Southern Africa Zambia; Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council; Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes; and Young Women in Action.
Events
The APRM: Taking peer learning to the next level, workshop in Kampala, Uganda, 20-21 July 2010.
The theme of the 15th African Union Summit in Kampala, Uganda (19-27 July 2010) is “Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa”, but as usual, Africa’s ongoing conflicts and challenges will also be discussed. An international workshop for African civil society jointly hosted by the Africa Governance Monitoring & Advocacy Programme (AfriMAP), the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa (EISA), Institut Africain de la Gouvernance/Africa Governance Institute (IAG-AGI), Kituo Cha Katiba (Eastern Africa Centre for Constitutional Development (KCK)) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) will be held in Kampala, Uganda on 20-21 July 2010. Two new books on the APRM will be launched, and the workshop will focus on the types of peer learning that occurs (or should occur) at many different levels in the APRM – between heads of state, government officials, researchers and CSOs to name just some of the peer groups created by this process – and how this aspect of the APRM can be strengthened in the future. Although places will be limited, the organisers hope to allow interested delegates who are in Kampala for the AU Summit to attend. Please contact steven.gruzd@wits.ac.za for further details.
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The South African Journal of International Affairs seeks article submissions focused on Africa's (and South Africa's) international relations, and key governance and developmental challenges.
The Table of Contents for Volume 17.1 is:
1. Will they have table manners? The G20, emerging powers and global responsibility by Jorge Heine
2. Refocusing South Africa’s economic diplomacy: The ‘African Agenda’ and emerging powers by Mzukisi Qobo
3. The incentives and informal forces of development cooperation: Key challenges for South Africa to consider by Ross Herbert
4. South Africa’s politics of peace and security by Alex Vines
5. Political movements and coalition politics in Kenya: Entrenching Ethnicity by Gilbert Khadiagala
6. In permanent opposition: Botswana’s other political parties by David Sebudubudu and Bertha Z Osei-Hwedie
7. Bilateral investment treaties: The foreclosure of domestic policy space by Nicole Yazbek
African scholars are especially encouraged to make submissions. Articles should be 7000 to 10000 words long, employing endnotes for referencing. All submissions will be subject to a blind peer review, and articles must not be simultaneously under consideration for publication elsewhere. Please forward an abstract of the article to the Editor, Martha Bridgman, at sajia.editor@saiia.org.za or on CD in MS Word format via post to:
SAJIA,
PO Box 31596,
Braamfontein,
2017, South Africa.
Authors of successful abstracts will be notified with regard to submission of a full article.
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The APRM Toolkit has been updated and now includes the Nigeria APRM Country Review Report, the latest SAIIA Occasional Papers and a new external links page. If you would like to submit a paper or an article for the APRM Toolkit please email Yarik Turianskyi at yarik.turianskyi@wits.ac.za with the subject line "APRM Toolkit'.
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If you would like to submit an original, unpublished, governance-related manuscript for possible inclusion in the SAIIA Occasional Paper series, please email steven.gruzd@wits.ac.za
Opinions expressed in papers and articles are those of their authors, and not SAIIA.
SAIIA gratefully acknowledges the Royal Netherlands Embassy in South Africa, which has generously supported the Governance & APRM Programme and this series.
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