ABSTRACT
Over time, the study’s guiding concept of good governance has become a source of worry for donor partners, the Global West, and certain NGOs as an ideal solution to address the difficulties that developing countries face. In an attempt to persuade African leaders to respect human rights, execute economic reforms, and secure power rotation in a free and fair election, among other things, good governance became a precondition for aid in Africa. African leaders, for example, formed the African Union and its Constitutive Act in 2002, with the goal of promoting democratic ideals and institutions, popular involvement, good governance, and sustainable development in Africa. As a result, the most important and eye-catching activity associated with the production of the The African Union’s associated development model, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), has become a necessity for good governance. The African Peer Review (APR) system was introduced into NEPAD and the AU’s joint efforts to monitor African Heads of State in order to assure their colleagues’ healthy governance. The ultimate goal of the APRM is to establish good governance in Africa, which NEPAD considers to be a precondition for development. As a result, the goal of this study is to see how effective the APRM is at promoting good governance and development in Africa. In order to inform the APRM, the study used a qualitative approach. Secondary data, such as textbooks, journal papers, and internet resources, were used in this investigation. The research’s key finding is that the APRM’s peer review mechanism has enabled the development of good governance in Africa, paving the path for ‘open governance’ and citizen involvement. Participating countries can use the peer review mechanism to become more aware of the strengths and shortcomings of their policymaking, governance structures, and procedures, as well as share best administrative, political, and financial management practices. It provides a platform for dialogue, peer learning, and regional and continental cooperation in order to address the difficulties that African countries face individually and collectively. Despite this, the APRM has faced significant difficulties that have hampered its efficiency and efficacy.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
It has become clear that strong governance and democracy are not only desirable but also necessary for economic growth in all nations, including third-world countries, particularly Africa. Africa has had tremendous economic success over the years, and its countries have more economic resources than any other country in the world system.
Surprisingly, the African continent is mired in poverty in many countries, as indicated by extreme hunger, disease, and ignorance. Because of dictators and residents who are poor and desperate to earn a livelihood, Africa, frequently referred to as the “forgotten continent,” has been plagued by corruption, unemployment, civil war, and terror (Awung, 2011). In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the new politically independent African states had bright growth prospects.
By 1990, many Africans had grown dissatisfied with the post-colonial era’s corrupt, inefficient, authoritarian, and autocratic governing institutions (Appiah, 2015). Acceptance of the practice of democracy and good governance as a condition for financial help became increasingly popular among African countries in the early 1990s, as multilateral and bilateral donors sought to reduce corruption in developing countries (Khorram-Manesh, 2013). Political inclusion in Africa grew more pronounced after the establishment of democracy. This moment seemed to usher in a new era of hope in Africa (Appiah, 2015). As a result, the majority of African countries have transitioned from authoritarian to multi-party democracy (Adejumobi, 2000).
Democracy is currently the most widely practiced political ideology in Africa and the world.When used combined, the terms “democracy and good governance” refer to a political system based on a liberal-democratic polity model that protects human rights and equitable opportunity, as well as a trustworthy, incorruptible, and accountable administration. Todaro and Smith (2009) argue that in the long run, democracy and economic growth will go hand in hand, while Oslon (1993) adds that stable democracy allows for economic progress. According to Knutsen (2010), in Africa, totalitarian regimes’ proclivity for bad policies is exacerbated by the state’s generally inadequate institutional frameworks. As a result, scientific studies show that democracy promotes economic development globally, Africa must embrace democracy (Knutsen, 2010). Over the years, Africa’s political leadership has adopted and implemented a number of new initiatives to address the continent’s seemingly perennial problems of poverty, underdevelopment, poor governance, corruption, instability, and political deterioration, with the overall goal of accelerating development (Mbadlanyana, 2014). One of the most prominent attempts in this direction is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which was adopted in 2001 and ratified by African Heads of State in 2002. The African Recovery Millennium Action Plan, the Omega Plan, and the New Compact with Africa are all part of this program. African Heads of State and Government agreed to accept NEPAD “on the basis of a single vision and shared belief that they have a compelling obligation to eradicate poverty and to place Africans at the center of the global economy.”
The African Recovery Millennium Action Plan, the Omega Plan, and the New Compact with Africa are all part of this program. African Heads of State and Government agreed to adopt NEPAD “on the basis of a shared vision and conviction that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, while also participating actively in the global economy and body politic” (NEPAD, 2015). NEPAD is both a “big idea” and a framework for best practices. NEPAD also serves as a conduit for large capital flows, both in terms of assistance and trade, as well as an attempt to form a growth coalition based on good governance. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP), the Programme for Infrastructural Development in Africa (PIDA), and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) are all part of NEPAD (Vickers, 2017). The APRM is undoubtedly the most lauded policy established by Africa’s Heads of States among the sector-specific programs integrated in NEPAD. According to Herbert and Gruzd (2008), the APRM is the NEPAD’s most forward-thinking and ambitious component. As a result, APRM is a unique, widely accepted tool for promoting the implementation of policies, procedures, and measures that contribute to political stability, robust economic growth, long-term development, and improved sub-regional and fiscal consolidation.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The APRM, a ground-breaking NEPAD program, has been hailed by the Global North and many Africans as a solution to the continent’s problems. As of 2014, 34 countries had joined the APRM MOU, indicating their willingness to be examined by their peers (NEPAD, 2015). Ghana, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Cameroon, Chad, Congo Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan. Historically, African states have regarded each other’s sovereignty as sacred, as embodied in the charter of the Organization of African Union (OAU), now the African Union (AU), a posture that has allowed tyrannical governments to prosper at the expense of their people’s well-being (Appiah, 2015). The OAU’s only concern when it was founded in 1963 was to free Africa from colonialism’s shackles. Although it had a number of objectives, including promoting global collaboration and adhering to the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), its primary objectives were the rapid decolonization of Africa, the unification of Africa, and the protection of African states’ territorial borders (Akokpari, 2004).
Despite its limitations, the APRM’s implementation provided a refreshing contrast to the Constitutive Act’s aspirations. NEPAD and its APRM, like any other OAU/AU policy, were met with skepticism as to whether the APRM and NEPAD would bring about any changes, owing to the fact that the very rulers who, individually and collectively, are responsible for wrecking their countries’ economies and promoting corruption are the same individuals who are supposed to willingly avail their governance structures to be peer reviewed. Despite this, it has been 18 years since the APRM was implemented.
The goal of this study is to evaluate NEPAD’s contribution to African development and good governance.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The goal of this research is to provide a detailed examination of NEPAD’s benefits to African development and good governance. The following are some of the study’s other goals:
To talk about the NEPAD and APRM goals.
To assess the APRM’s utility in promoting and enhancing good governance and development in Africa.
To look into the difficulties that the APRM has had in promoting good governance and development in Africa.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following important research questions were addressed in the study:
What are the goals of the NEPAD and APRM?
What role does the APRM play in promoting and improving good governance and development in Africa?
What obstacles has the APRM had to overcome in its efforts to promote good governance and development in Africa?
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Using APRM as a case study, the study provides insight into the appraisal of NEPAD’s contributions to African development and good governance. The different ways in which APRM has contributed to Africa’s good governance and development will be examined.
As the investigation and analysis advanced, numerous hurdles and obstructions were encountered. All of these roadblocks resulted in a prominent clause in the research work. Limited availability of relevant resources, time constraints, and budgetary constraints are among them.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The different strategies or procedures the researcher employed to conduct the research, as well as the instrument used to collect the data, are discussed in research methodology.
There are a variety of research methodologies that can be used to address the research questions. The historical research methodology will be employed in this study to collect data and relevant information, and the study will use the descriptive data collection method. This will entail gathering information from secondary sources such as books, journal articles, magazines, websites, international and national conference proceedings, and previously published and unpublished articles.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
To fulfill the research’s objectives. From chapter one through chapter five, the study is structured into five interconnected chapters.
The researcher was able to give an introduction to the work, identify the problem that necessitated this study, outline the questions this work seeks to answer, and outline the goals it aims to achieve in this first chapter. The study’s scope and limits, as well as the methodology utilized in the research, were discussed.
The literature review, conceptual review, and theoretical framework are all covered in the second chapter. The research methodology and an overview of NEPAD are discussed in the third chapter. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), its origins, mandate, governance structure, and so on are discussed in Chapter 4, while the summary and suggestions are discussed in Chapter 5.
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