Addis Ababa - The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has become more focused, energised, and fit-for-purpose, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday.
In his acceptance speech at the African Peer Review (APR) forum of heads of state and government at the 33rd session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he said this was mainly due to the leadership of his two predecessors - President Idriss Deby of Chad over the past two years and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya from 2016 to 2018.
"The APRM is to us what sitting around the fire was to our ancestors - a rendezvous for family and friends; a meeting place of minds; a place where we dialogue and exchange views; and a secure space in which we can turn to each other for support, encouragement and solutions to the challenges we face.
"It is through the APRM that we are able to workshop solutions to our shared challenges and share best practice in governance at both regional and continental levels. In affirmation of this noble role, I gladly accept the honour of leading the APRM for the next two years," Ramaphosa said.
He pledged to take forward the achievements and gains that had been registered with equal, if not greater vigour. Working with the collective, he also looked forward to pursuing innovations that would catalyse the positive transformation of the APRM across the continent.
"We stand on the threshold of a new epoch of governance and leadership in Africa. The country review processes are at the core of the mandate and work of the APRM. They are a niche that distinguishes our mechanism from other equally important initiatives we have on our continent. We need to build on our achievements in this regard, and encourage more of our member states to join those countries that have undergone country review processes," he said.
"We must continue to encourage countries that have undergone the review process to implement the recommendations contained in their National Plan of Action. These recommendations are key in achieving the much needed impact on our continent. Unless they are executed, the reviews will not translate into tangible action at a country level.
"Be assured that South Africa will play its part to deepen the review processes, and upscale the implementation of actions needed to improve governance," Ramaphosa said.