Lesotho ready to Join African Peer Review Mechanism - Tsekoa

Government deems the country more than ready to join the  African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as she meets most if all the mechanism's targeted commitments. The APRM is an African self-monitoring mechanism voluntarily acceded to by member states of the African Union.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohlabi Tsekoa, speaking in the National Assembly in Maseru on May 1, said the APRM aims at fostering the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, good governance, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated regional and continental economic integration through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practices.

The  Mechanism's mandate is to ensure that the polices and practices of members states conform to the agreed political, economic, and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration of Democracy, Political, and Economic and Corporate Governance.

"These values, codes and standards include, among others, democracy, good political governance, respect for human rights, the rule of law and sound economic management" the Minister said.

Though it is a mutually agreed instrument for self-monitoring by participating member governments, the APRM can engage a member state in a peer reviewing process even if that member state has not voluntarily acceded to it. Such a move is occasioned by a serious violation of the values, codes and standards contained in the declaration, he said.

Mr. Tsekoa said participation in the APRM is open to all member states of the African Union, with those  wishing to participate notifying the Chairman of the heads of state and government implementation committee of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Joining the APRM entails an undertaking to submit to periodic peer reviews, facilitating such reviews, and being guided by agreed parameters for good political, economic and corporate governance.

Arrangements are afoot for the NEPAD secretariat to visit Lesotho in the not too distant future and facilitate the country's accession into membership of the APRM, Mr. Tsekoa announced.

1 June 2004