Briefing Paper

Maintaining Momentum? Civil Society and the APRM in Zambia

“The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is intended to assist member states to identify and eradicate governance problems. The review of Zambia found positives as well as negatives in the country’s governance practices. Without the participation of civil society and on a very modest budget the APRM is, however, struggling to bring about positive change. This policy briefing looks at when and why enthusiasm for the process began to wane, taking into account that Zambia was once pioneering innovative practices in conducting the review. Civil society, government and development partners in Zambia all recognise that the APRM could play a central role if utilised effectively. Overcoming current challenges could be achieved by ensuring that the APRM once again becomes a countrywide process given due prominence in Zambia’s development planning.”