Monrovia – Liberia is holding its first country review study process which has been officially kicked off in Monrovia by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr – [email protected]
The Liberia country review process kicked off with a two-day in-country planning and introduction meeting held in Monrovia by a visiting delegation of experts of the APRM.
The Vice Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Brigette Sylvia Mabandla, is leading the team in Liberia.
The review mission team is also comprised of representatives from the APRM Continental Secretariat, the Liberia national secretariat team, representatives from the Liberian Technical Research Institutions (TRIs) and members of the APRM Strategic Partners.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Boima Kamara, welcomed the review team and highlighted that Liberia is opening its doors and is ready to have a frank and open engagement with the team.
Kamara pledged the government’s support towards the successful conduct of the study in Liberia.
“The APRM process will enable us the governors to go the governed and ask them how well we have performed as a country in terms of governance.”
“The process will also seek from the citizens, the shortcomings of the government and way forward to chart a new course,” he noted.
“There is a commitment of African countries to the respect of the constitution, rule of law, freedom of assembly and everything that evolves around good governance.”
“And Liberia today has joined almost 36 countries that have committed themselves to the voluntary assessment of our own performance as a government in terms of commitment to good governance.”
The team also undertook a rigorous process of identifying and sampling views from the counties for the review and has developed a plan to guide the review process.
Engagement meetings with the leadership of the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature were done on 06 April 2017.
The vice chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Brigette Sylvia Mabandla said the APRM is meant to enable activities leading towards the achievement of social economic growth and development in Africa.
“This is a path to show development because the APRM represents the collective aspiration of all Africans,” she noted.
She stated that the country review mission comprises of independent experts from across Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Mali, South Africa and Uganda.