President Kikwete to Attend APRM Forum
By Special Correspondent, Dar es Salaam – President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania will join other African Union Heads of State and Government to participate in the African Peer Review Forum on 26 January, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the margins of the AU Ordinary Summit.
President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania receives various documents from the chairman of the APRM Tanzania Governing Council, Prof. Hasa Mlawa being preparations for the president to submit his country’s report in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 26 January, 2013. (Photo courtesy of Freddy Mary of State House)
During the Forum-a gathering of Heads of State and Government participating in the governance assessment mechanism, Tanzania is scheduled to present its Country Review Report for peer review.
The President confirmed his participation in the Forum after a meeting with officials from the APRM Tanzania- a local secretariat of the Continental wide body at State House in Dar es Salaam on Thursday.
“I thank you for a very good work done in coordinating the process in Tanzania. Now I’m more than confident of attending the peer review Forum to present the views of my fellow Tanzanians,” said the President after meeting the officials of the APRM Tanzania National Governing Council and its Secretariat.
Briefing the President on the process in Tanzania, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe whose Ministry coordinates the process in Tanzania, said the review of Tanzania was objective one.
“The report has highlighted the best practices we have in various areas of governance and the challenges that we are facing which should be resolved,” said Minister Membe.
On his part the chairperson of the APRM Tanzania National Governing Council, Prof. Hassa Mlawa briefed the President that the peer review of Tanzania will be preceded by the review of Zambia. Prof. Mlawa reaffirmed the President that the APRM process in Tanzania was conducted in an objective manner including an external validation by external experts.
The APRM process was incepted in March 2003 with the objective of assessing and monitoring good governance among Africa states with the intension of adopting and learning best practices from each other while resolving the challenges that constrain the African people. 31 out of 54 African countries have joined the Mechanism while more are set to join it in the Addis Forum.
