Thesis (PhD (Public Affairs))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.(Political Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references

M.A. (Politics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (PhD (Public Affairs)) -- University of Pretoria, 2006. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

This dissertation focuses on an analysis of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a standard for ‘good governance’. The APRM is a democratic initiative on behalf of African leaders to strengthen governance and democratic processes on the continent, in order to build a successful foundation for development. This is intended to be achieved through a new concept in African politics – ‘peer review’. Thus, the APRM is an innovative solution to the governance problems of the African states. However, the APRM is not without its issues. The process is voluntary and its recommendations are not enforced. Although the APRM is intended as an overall country review, according to its rules national governments are in the driving seat, which raises concerns with regard to possible manipulations. The extensive standards utilised by the APRM and analysed in this dissertation are of little substance practically, as they mostly fail to provide definitions of key concepts, measuring tools, and normative recommendations. As case studies, this dissertation examines four problems of four African states: Rwanda and sovereignty; Kenya and democracy; South Africa and corruption; and Ghana and neopatrimonialism. These case studies show that although in many instances the APRM is on the right track, in its current format it is too weak to significantly impact on African politics. The APRM is an effort to strengthen ‘good governance’ in Africa, but it often lacks the collective will of its members to achieve its objectives. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Political Sciences / unrestricted

"Furthermore, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has been proposed as a key element of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The APRM is said to be the most remarkable innovation in the AU and the NEPAD framework designed to promote good governance and human rights. Its central purpose is to ensure the compliance of African states with the standards and practices of governance contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance (Durban Declaration). Although the APRM has been welcomed by a large number of development actors, there are also some doubts as to this mechanism working in the context of Africa. One of the main reasons for such reservations is that peer review on political governance has never been tested elsewhere before. ... The study is structured into five chapters. This first chapter serves as an introduction and has described the context of this paper by giving the background and general structure of the paper. Chapter two will briefly define the notion of peer review, highligting the founding context and the process of the APRM itself. This summary is necessary for a proper understanding of the paper. Chapter three will endeavor to point out the human rights aspects in the APRM, that is, the substance and potential of the mechanism for human rights protection and promotion, including references to international human rights instruments. Chapter four is a proposal for giving the APRM the best prospect for success; this will include adopting a 'population-based approach', meaning that the citizens are central part and owners of the process of the evaluation of government policies. Such ownership should produce a more realistic evaluation of the outcomes of public policies. Finally, chapter five will conclude this study by providing some recommendations as to how to ensure that APRM is a tool that guarantees human rights." -- Introduction. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2004. / Prepared under the supervision of Doctor Enid Hill, Chair of the Department of Political Science, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/dissertations.html / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

The potent nature of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as an early warning tool may remain in oblivion unless its peace and security mandate is identified and benefitted from by the Africa Union (AU) Peace and Security Architecture. The objectives of this study are: a) To examine the AU and sub-regional organizational mechanisms on early warning as well as their strengths and weaknesses. b) To map out the APRM mandate in peace and security from the concept, instruments, process and reports. c) To draw both conceptual and practical links between the Continental Early Warning System and the APRM reports. d) To make recommendations of how APRM early warning findings can be integrated within the AU Peace and Security Architecture for early response. / A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Katarina Crause, Institute for Human Rights, Abo Akademi University, Finland. / LLM Dissertation (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa -- University of Pretoria, 2009. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

Despite several strides made, governance has remained a foundational issue to be addressed in the struggle for human rights and inclusive development in Africa. Almost two decades into existence, it has become imperatively necessary to evaluate the success of this struggle through Africa’s monitoring tool - the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). This work examines the progress attained in the context of Ghana, which has been acclaimed as a leading democracy in Africa and was the first country to be reviewed. Largely through doctrinal research, data was obtained from online sources and visits to key institutions in Ghana including its National APRM (NAPRM) Secretariat. The findings of this work reveal a higher success level in compliance with legal and policy adjustments, although sometimes instituted at a very slow pace. Yet attaining the anticipated human rights impact has remained a challenge. The lack of Ghana’s political will and poor funding as well as poor responsiveness from the APRM international Secretariat have highly impeded the work of Ghana’s NAPRM; including its continuous publication of Program of Action (POA) reports. It has thus mainly resorted to domestic District Governance Assessments (DGAs) which have in themselves not also been regular. The absence of political will has also been the primary obstacle to a subsequent review, and only recently has Ghana started plans to undergo a Targeted Review on specific domestic issues. This attitude has for several decades similarly been transposed into the country’s state reporting obligations under other African human rights monitoring systems, hence affecting their ability to directly impact domestic change in comparison to the APRM. The findings of this work demonstrate the need to strengthen state responsiveness to treaty monitoring obligations, as well as the workings of the APRM in collaboration with other African monitoring mechanisms. / Mini Dissertation (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) --University of Pretoria, 2021. / European Union / Global Campus of Human Rights / Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa / Centre for Human Rights / LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa) / Unrestricted

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The concept of accountability has grown to become an integral part of a broader political and socio-economic transformation. Closely associated to it is the concept of "auditing" which has established itself as a main driving force of accountability and a core means of delivering it. The extent of the rise and expansion of "auditing" has subsequently come to influence every aspect of modern life and this has led to a situation in which practices have had to adapt to the principles of "auditing" processes. Auditing has become prevalent in both the public and private spheres and this impact has far reaching consequences. The concept of "auditing" is evident in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and is central to its review process. This thesis focuses on the concept of "auditing" in order to illustrate how the APRM has borrowed and applied insights from other disciplinary practices so as to enhance an understanding of accountability and transparency as features of "good governance" and to explicate how these concepts are conceived within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). It also clarifies the relationship that exists between "peer review" and "auditing" and argues that rather than being considered as two poles marked by distance from each other "auditing" and "peer review" are closely related and mutually constitutive.