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 – edwin.genoway@frontpageafricaonline.com

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.

Monrovia – A high power African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Mission, led by the Vice Chairperson of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons and Lead Panelist in charge of Liberia, Brigette Sylvia Mabandla, is expected in Liberia on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 as part of a two week review mission.

While in the country, the 11 member mission will visit various counties to engage major stakeholders on the African Peer Review process and discuss key issues regarding Liberia’s Self-Assessment Report.

Since acceding to the APRM Framework in 2011, Liberia has and continues to play a crucial role in promoting the institution as a vehicle for good governance on the African continent. 

In preparation for its review process, Liberia has signed an MOU, trained four Technical Research Institutes (TRIs),  launched and conducted nationwide sensitization campaigns, conducted the country self-assessment study and presented a zero draft of the self-assessment study report.

The APRM External Review Mission’s visit is intended to validate these processes,  hold consultations with various stakeholders and produce Liberia’s country review report which will subsequently be presented at the African Union special summit by June/July 2017

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was established in 2003 as an African Union initiative for promoting good governance within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The objectives of the APRM are primarily to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through experience sharing and reinforcement of successful and best practices, including identifying deficiencies and assessment of requirements for capacity building.

The foundation of the APRM is built around four thematic pillars: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development.

The APRM is a commonly approved framework voluntarily consented to by member states. Since its establishment in 2003, 37 countries constituting more than half of African countries with three-quarter of its population have acceded to the APRM framework.

Liberia acceded to the 14th Forum of Heads of States and Governments of the APRM in January 2011 and has made meaningful contributions in terms of representation and participation.

In May 2013, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was appointed Chairperson of the APRM Forum at the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Governments participating in the APRM in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

MFDP Minister, Honorable Boima S. Kamara is Liberia’s National Focal Person to the APRM. Liberia has a National Secretariat and has a nine member National Governing Council (NGC) with representation from various sectors of the Liberian society.

The team is expected to depart Liberia on April 20, 2017 after completing her mission.

Monrovia – As part of an important national conversation on the African Peer Review mechanism (APRM) Liberia Country, the celebration of the 19th series of APRM national outreach and sensitization campaign was held at the Paynesville City Hall.

Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – websterclayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The campaign is aimed at creating massive awareness about the APRM framework for the general public ahead of the conduct of the country’s Self-Assessment Study by the Technical Research Institutes (TRI).

Serving as chief launcher at the program Thursday, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who happens to be the former Chairperson of the APRM forum of Head of States said the sensitization campaign that has taken place in every part of the country is aimed at getting the people to know the purpose of APRM.

President Sirleaf said Liberia has not been ready for the sensitization campaign, but with the message going all over the country, Liberians can now prepare themselves to meet up with what other countries have achieved.

“So, now at least everybody knows the basic of what it is all about. It makes it easier for our Superintendents, for our Mayors, for our Ministers, for our local governments to appreciate why they had to do what they had to do to make Liberia stronger in those areas so when we compete with Serra Leone, Ghana, and Ivory Coast we can also be able to say we have made it,” Pres. Sirleaf said.

President Sirleaf added: “Many of them are ahead of us because they started the process long time but at least now we’ve started it and we hope we can move at a fast pace so when the Minster presents his first report at the next African Union Submit, I think he is going to get a lot of praises in this short period of time.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Governance Commission and former Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the APRM Dr. Amos Sawyer said although the country is not fully Peer Reviewed, it had been courageous their endeavor.

With lots of conversation being taking place around the country, Dr. Sawyer cautioned that as the country goes into a transitional period, the incoming government should protect and build upon the gains the country had made over the time.

Dr. Sawyer: “It is not an Ellen Johnson Sirleaf process, it is a process where Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as leader of Liberia exceeded to on behalf of Liberia.

It is owned by the Liberian people, it is a commitment that our country had made and I think it is binding on the successive government”.

Earlier speaking, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Boima Kamara said he is delighted that the country is on the track to continue the process of national awareness and sensitization with citizens and stakeholders across the 15 political subdivisions.

“Eighteen out of the nine outreach and sensitizations activities have been held in the 15 counties.

These launches are a clear manifestation of the emphasis we place on the involvement of the local population in the APRM process, instead of focusing on Montserrado County alone,” he said.

The MFDP boss further stated that instead of Liberia relying on international actors the APRM will help the country evaluate its own performances.

Buchanan, Grand Bassa – Finance and Development Planning Minister, Hon. Boima Kamara has officially launched the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in the Provincial City of Buchanan, Grand Bassa and assured Liberians that the pending conduct of the country’s self-assessment study and review processes will be inclusive to reflect nationwide participation.

“Today’s event in Buchanan is the manifestation of the emphasis we place on the involvement of the local population in the APRM process, instead of focusing on Montserrado County alone,” declared Minister Kamara.

According to a Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) release, Minister Kamara, who is the APRM National Focal Point for Liberia, made the statement at the ceremony marking the launch of the APRM Liberia County Program’s National Sensitization and Outreach Campaign in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County on Wednesday, January 4, 2017.

“We are delighted as a country to continue the process of national awareness and sensitization with citizens and stakeholders across the fifteen political sub-divisions of our beloved country.”

Minister Kamara further emphasized, “At the end of the process, a country, with the involvement of its people reports on how your government is governing.

This is what I refer to as ‘Write you own story’.”

The MFDP release noted that Minister Kamara reaffirmed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s commitment at the APRM Summit in August last year – that Liberia will conduct its self-assessment in July this year. 

He said the President’s commitment is assured by the numerous engagements including the county’s contributions, since Liberia acceded in January 2011.

Minister Kamara however recounted the exemplary leadership exhibited by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during her two-year tenure as Chairperson of the APRM and the consultancy services contributed by the Governance Commission Chairman, Professor Dr. Amos C. Sawyer when he served as member of the Panel of Eminent Persons.

It can be recalled that in February 2016 the APRM Country Support Mission met with President Sirleaf and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Technical Assistance to the APRM Liberia County Program.

Eight months later, in October 2016, a Joint APRM-ECA (United National Economic Commission on Africa) Technical Mission visit Liberia and participated in the launch of the National Sensitization and Outreach Campaign.

The delegation headed by Professor Eddy Maloka also provided Technical Assistance and capacity building for key stakeholders and four Technical Research Institutes (TRI’s).

Minister Kamara said the aim of the various activities was to prepare Liberia ahead of the conduct of its self-assessment study and country review which is expected to be done in six months.

The release further quotes the MFDP Minister as calling on everyone at various levels of the Liberian society to take advantage and fully participate in the process.

“We equally admonish all actors to cooperate with the Technical Research Institutes, the National Governing Council and the APRM national Secretariat as Liberia conducts its country self-assessment study.”

“This is not going to be a Monrovia based exercise,” Minister Kamara asserted.

He further indicated that massive sensitization efforts will accompany the conduct of the country self-assessment study and review across the country.

The African Peer Review Mechanism is a strategy through which a country can assess its own performances in four thematic areas instead of depending on international groups alone. It was initiated in 2003 by the AU within the framework of the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The four thematic areas under the APRM include: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Socio-Economic Development and Corporate Governance.

The ceremony in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County brings to four the total number of counties the APRM Liberia Country Program’s National Sensitization and Outreach has been launched.

The awareness was over the past few weeks launched in Ganta, Nimba County; Kakata, Margibi County and Gbarnga, Bong County.

The launch will tomorrow take place in Cestos City, Rivercess County to mark the end of the First Phase of the APRM National Awareness and Sensitization drive.

There are currently thirty-seven out of Africa’s fifty-four countries that are members of the APRM.

These countries including Liberia uphold the principles on which the APRM is built. Each pillar has several counts that member states must subscribe to:

For instance, under the Democracy and Political Governance Pillar: Member States are expected to uphold the rule of law, ensure the equality of all citizens before the law and the liberty of the individual and ensure individual and collective freedoms, including rights to form and join political parties and trade unions, in conformity with the constitution.

Equality of opportunity for all, the inalienable right of the individual to participate by means of free, credible and democratic political processes in periodically electing tier leaders for a fixed term must be ensured.

At the same time Member States are to adhere to the separation of powers, including the protection of the independence of the judiciary and of the effective parliaments.

Under the Economic Governance and Management Pillar: Member States are to uphold code of good practices on fiscal transparence, best practices for budget transparency, guidelines for public debt management, principles of corporate governance, international standards on auditing and the core principles for effective banking supervision.

For Socio-economic Development: Member States are resolved to ensure democracy, good governance, peace and security; gender equality; the development of human and physical resources; openness to international trade and investment; allocation of appropriate funds to the social sector and with civil society.

Under the Corporate Governance: the core principles accepted by Member Countries include the provision of and enabling environment and effective framework for economic activities; ensuring that corporations act as good corporate citizens with regard to human rights, social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Others are promoting the adaption of codes of good business ethics in achieving the objectives of the organization; ensuing that corporations treat all their stakeholders in a fair and just manner and provide for accountability of corporations and directions.

Monrovia – The African Peer Review (APRM) Liberia Country Program through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and four Technical Research Institutions have signed agreements aimed at conducting the Country Self-Assessment Study.

The four research institutions include: Center for Democratic Governance;  Agency for Economic Development and Empowerment (AEDE);

Liberia Media Center (LMC) and Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD).

The country self-assessment study (CSA) is a key milestone under stage one of the five APRM implementation stages. It involves the internal self -assessment of governance policies, standards and practices and the preparation of a draft report and National Program of Action (PoA) that will be validate by a panel of eminent persons.

Under the agreement signed recently, the four Technical Research Institutions (TRI’s) all of whom are Liberian firms will conducted the Country’s Self-Assessment Study (CSA) around APRM four thematic areas as follow; Center for Democratic Governance, APRM pillar one “Political and Democratic Governance”; Agency for Economic Development and Empowerment (AEDE), APRM pillar two “Economic Governance and Management”; Liberia Media Center (LMC), APRM pillar three “Corporate  Governance”; Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD) APRM pillar four “Socio-Economic Development”.

The Country Self-Assessment exercise, which is expected to last for three months, is in furtherance of Liberia’s commitment to undertake the APRM in June 2017.

The four Technical Research Institutions (TRI) were contracted for their professionalism and technical competence following a competitive bidding process.

Meanwhile, APRM Liberia Country Program has officially launched its National Sensitization Campaign in Monrovia.

The objectives of the campaign are to increase national awareness and sensitization of the populace on the APRM in preparation for the Country’s Self-assessment process and subsequent review. 

Monrovia – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) are in the country to facilitate two-day capacity building workshop on APRM communications, methodologies and research questionnaires.

Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – websterclayeh@frontpageonline.com

The APRM was established in 2003 is an African Union initiative for promoting good governance within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The team in Liberia is headed by APRM Continental Secretariat chief executive officer Edward Maloka.

At the opening of the two-day workshop on Wednesday, Minister of Finance and Development Planning Boima Kamara referenced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Liberia and the subsequent request by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) summit in Nairobi, Kenya for Liberia to be peer reviewed marks a major step taking toward their many engagement.

“In February of this year, the APRM country support mission met with her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and signed a Memorandum of Understanding for technical assistance to the APRM Liberia country program,” he said.

The MFPD Minister further said: “In August also our President also committed in the APRM summit in Nairobi for Liberia to be peer review.

In this regard, I say this gathering marks a major step which is the result of the many engagements”.

The team in Liberia also launched national sensitization campaign to provide technical assistance and capacity building for key stakeholder of the APRM Liberia country program ahead of the conduct of Liberia’s country self-assessment study and country review.

Cautioning all stakeholders to participate in the APRM activities at national and sub-national levels Minister Kamara said:

“We equally wish to encourage all actors to cooperate with the Technical Research Institutes, the National Governing Council and the APRM National Secretarial as Liberia conducts its country self-assessment study”.

“This is not going to be a Monrovia-based exercise, as we implement the new road map; massive sensitization efforts will accompany the conduct of country self-assessment study and review”.

Also making remark Maloka said the exercise is a preparation for Liberia to undertake a full review mission for next year.

“For next year, we are looking at Liberia, and we are looking at Ivory Coast.”

“They wanted to do it this year, but we persuaded them to do it next year,” he said.

Since the establishment of APRM in 2003, 37 countries more than half of Africa’s countries have acceded to the APRM framework.

Liberia acceded to the 14^th Forum of Heads of States and Governments of the APRM in January 2011 and made meaningful contributions in terms of representation and participation.

In May 2013, President Sirleaf was appointed chairperson. She served for two years before turning over to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

The objectives of the APRM are primarily to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through experience sharing and reinforcement of successful and best practices, including identifying deficiencies and assessment of requirements for capacity building.

The foundation of the APRM is built around four thematic pillars: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development.

The APRM is a commonly approved framework voluntarily consented by member states.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf later met with the delegation at the lead of APRM Continental Secretariat and team of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) during a courtesy call paid on her at her Foreign Ministry Office in Monrovia.

While in Monrovia, the team will provide technical assistance and build the capacities of key stakeholders of the APRM Liberia Country Program ahead of Liberia’s self-assessment study.    

According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf received the delegation on Wednesday congratulated Dr. Maloka and team for the visit to Liberia.

President Sirleaf said she was glad that Liberia was on track once again despite the diversion.

“We too see APRM as a tool to work with”. The Liberian leader expressed the hope that before the end of her administration Liberia’s self-assessment study would have taken place and implemented. 

In remarks, Prof. Maloka said the team was in Liberia to provide technical assistance, build capacities for stakeholders, conduct sensitization workshop with state and non-state actors on the APRM communication strategies, methodologies and research questionnaire and as well participate in the official launch of the APRM National Sensitization Campaign among other.

He commended President Sirleaf and her government for the conducive atmosphere created and the warm reception they received from people of Liberia since their arrival in Liberia.

He said his team met with Hon. Boima Kamara, Minister of Finance and Development Planning and APRM National Focal person, members of APRM Multi-Sectoral National Governing Council, the APRM National Secretariat, Technical Research Institutes (TRIs) and Strategic Partners at his Ministry.

Monrovia – The African Peer Review Mechanism Continental Secretariat and the ECA will be guests of the Liberian Government for four days.

The APRM & ECA Technical Support Mission will be in Liberia from October 17 – 20, 2016.

The APR Continental Secretariat will be led by Professor Edward Maloka and a team of resource persons from the United Nations Economic Commission on Africa.

The 10 men delegation will be in Liberia to provide technical assistance and capacity building for key stakeholders of the APRM Liberia Country Programmed ahead of the conduct of Liberia’s country self-assessment study.

APRM Continental Team will participate in the official launch of APRM National Sensitization Campaign, slated for October 19, 2016 at the Monrovia City Hall.

The team will also conduct a two-day capacity building workshop on APRM communications, methodologies and Research Questionnaires.

The Peer Learning and Sensitization Workshop will be held at the Boulevard Palace on 13th Street in Sinkor, Monrovia.

While in the country, APRM Continental team will meet with Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Boima S. Kamara, and APRM National Focal Point, members of APRM Multi-sectorial National Governing Council, the APRM National Secretariat, Technical Research Institutes (TRIs) and Strategic Partners.

The APRM Technical Mission will also hold a sensitization workshop with state and non-state actors on the APRM communication strategies.

In February 2016 the APRM country support mission team met with Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Technical Assistance to the APRM Liberia Country Programmed.

The APRM Mission is visiting Liberia to provide technical assistance and build the capacity of various Technical Research Institutes (TRI) and Multi-sectorial National Governing Council for the conduct of the country self–assessment study.

Liberia acceded to the 14th Forum of Heads of States and Governments of the APRM in January 2011 made meaningful contributions in terms of representation and participation.

In May 2013, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was appointed chairperson. She served for 2 years before turning over to President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

The APRM which was established in 2003 is an African Union initiative for promoting good governance within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The objectives of the APRM are primarily to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through experience sharing and reinforcement of successful and best practices, including identifying deficiencies and assessment of requirements for capacity building.

The foundation of the APRM is built around four thematic pillars: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development.

The APRM is a commonly approved framework voluntarily consented to by member states. Since its establishment in 2003, 37 countries more than half of Africa’s countries with three-quarter of its population have acceded to the APRM framework.

Monrovia – The Liberian Business Association (LIBA), which represents the private sector on the National Governing Council (NGC) of the African Peer Review Mechanism Liberia Country Program (APRM-LCP), has formally withdrawn from the process.

The decision was overwhelmingly reached at LIBA third annual convention in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County from April 7-8.  LIBA President Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. has been presenting the private sector but was forcibly booted out in a palace coup on January 19.

But LIBA delegates, in a four-page resolution, resolved to withdraw Kemayah because, among other things, it felt that the process leading to developing a Liberian report that depicts the true reflection of the current governance system was compromised.

“Against this background, we resolved to, with immediate effect, withdraw LIBA from the African Peer Review Mechanism Liberia Country Program (APRM-LCP).

“We do hereby mandate Mr. Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., to immediately and unconditionally refrain from all functions, activities and interactions relating to the APRM-LCP as LIBA have completely lost confidence in the process,” said LIBA vice President David K. Sembeh, who read the resolution on behalf of the delegates.

The delegates also commended Liberia Chambers of Commerce (LCC) President Francis A. Dennis and the LCC family for the confidence reposed in Kemayah to represent the private sector on the NGC of the APRM-LCP.        

The latest decision by LIBA will further cast a dark cloud over the APRM-LCP, which faced an integrity crisis when Bridgitte Slyvia Mabandla, eminent person of the APRM continental secretariat in South Africa, paid a weeklong country support mission (CSM) visit to Liberia late February.

The South African, who was in Monrovia with a five-man delegation, held series of meetings with state and non-state actors on the finalization and adoption of the work program of the (CSM) before President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf signed a memorandum of understanding on February 24 for technical assistance to the APRM-LCP and discussed its road-map ahead of the country self-assessment and county review reports.

During the meeting, Sirleaf said even though no country would want their technicians to check on their leaders, she was proud of the exercise.

“We hope Liberia will be a part of benefitting from these processes,” she said and commended Mabandla for assuming her new assignment.

Pres. Sirleaf said the APRM involvement with Liberia was important as its democratic maturity will be tested during next year’s Presidential and legislative elections.

But those proceedings were overshadowed by Kemayah’s forceful removal as he was replaced by Emmanuel David, a representative of the Liberian government while Malcolm Wleemongar Joseph of the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (Cemesp) was selected as vice Chairman.

The plotters alleged that Kemayah is conspicuously participating and affiliating with current political activities, failure to convene meetings and overly engaged and preoccupied schedules, which they sent to outgoing Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh and Deputy Minister James F. Kollie.  

But documents in our possession showed that Kemayah participated in all activities and meetings of the NGC, including the design of a five-year strategic plan for the APRM-LCP and a draft standard operating procedure, which is awaiting a validation.

FrontPageAfrica, however, understands that the government has been showing signs of reluctance to provide funding for the NGC under Kemayah’s watch in order to strangulate the process due to his critical and uncompromising stance on national issues.

The NGC of the APRM-LCP comprises of stakeholders from various sectors and provides policy and strategic direction for the rollout of the program. It was established by President Sirleaf in May 2015.

Kemayah’s removal without due process and subsequent formal withdrawal mean there is no representative for the private sector. It has been alleged that the government wants to ensure a cooked report that reflects a beautiful picture, contrary to the harsh realities of bad governance in Liberia.  

Kemayah has been vocal on the difficulties faced by Liberian owned businesses and bad governance under the watch of Sirleaf, who was reelected in 2011 and was one of three Nobel Laurates.

Delivering an inaugural address in May 2014, Kemayah criticized the lack of opportunities and jobs despite a foreign direct investment of US$16 billion but President Sirleaf recently conceded that only US$4.2 billion was actually invested. Kemayah also alleged that government was awarding contracts to foreign firms instead of empowering Liberian-owned businesses.

In February 2015, Kemayah reminded Finance and Development Planning Minister Amara Konneh to implement an approval of a revelation he made at the installation dinner of the LCC on May 4, 2012 where the government agreed to use 25-percent of the Government of Liberia budget for furniture to purchase locally produced furniture from Liberian-owned businesses.

Also in February 2015, Kemayah described vindictiveness as a vampire to reconciliation just as corruption is a vampire to development and warned that there can be no cosmetic approach to a holistic reconciliation in Liberia. His comments were in sharp reaction to a meeting held by President Sirleaf with Samuel Kanyon Doe, Jr. on January 28, 2015.

According to an Executive Mansion release, Pres. Sirleaf shared thoughts on issues of governance, development, peace and reconciliation with Doe Junior, whose father she described as a brutal dictator in her Independence Day message on July 27, 2009.

Those developments made the government uncomfortable with Kemayah and a fear that he will not compromise a realistic country report, which will underpin bad governance, corruption and the lack of rule of law Liberians are experiencing.

There is already a state of fear with series of deaths in the wake of the gradual drawdown of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and a complete handover of security to the government on June 30, 2016.

Background

Liberia acceded to the APRM in 2011, becoming the 30th member of the continental mechanism, representing about 76 percent of the total African population.  President Sirleaf signed the accession document at the opening of the 14th summit of the APR forum of heads of states and government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 29, 2011.

On that occasion, the President said the decision by Liberia to accede to the APRM was a further manifestation of government’s commitment to promote good governance and accountability in the country, and that Liberia would continue to exercise the principles of good governance to help enhance national development and a society in which the government is open and accountable to its people. The APRM is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by members of the African Union as an African self-monitoring mechanism.

Its mandate is to encourage participating members to ensure that their policies conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and the mutually agreed socio-economic development objectives contained in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad).

Dr. Amos Sawyer, who heads Liberia’s Governance Commission, is chairperson of the APRM panel of eminent persons.