Tanzania government is committed to AU governance review
By Shout-Africa Correspondent, Dar es Salaam – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe has assured Tanzanians that the government of President Jakaya Kikwete is committed to up holing principles of good governance and it will thus continue supporting the African Union’s governance assessment process; The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
Minister Membe who was speaking to the members of the National Governing Council (NGC) of APRM Tanzania Monday in Dar es Salaam said Africa in initialing the process had a cherished aim of dealing with its own problems from its own inter peer process.
“The government will continue supporting you as governance is a key development preconditions for the betterment of the lives of our people. I want to assure you that 2011 will be a year of actions,” said Hon. Membe whose ministry is coordinating APRM activities in Tanzania.
Earlier, a representative of the APRM Tanzania NGC, Prof. Ruth Meena informed the Minister that the process in Tanzania has achieved significant milestones including producing a Country Review Report that encompasses the views of the Tanzania people on governance in areas of democratization, economic management, corporate governance and socio-economic.
In his presentation of status of process implementation in Tanzania, Prof. Meena however cited some challenges facing the institution in Tanzania to include insufficient budgetary allocations and delay in inviting the Country Review Mission (CRM), which is a team of external governance experts to audit our assessment before peer review is done which will later on allow the country to deal with the identified governance gaps.
Minister Membe promised to work hand in hand with his ministry officials and the NGC to ensure budgetary constraints are dealt with. He also agreed APRM Tanzania to prepare for inviting CRM later this year.
APRM was incepted in 2003 by the AU under the auspices of the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) with the mandate of assessing governance in each member state with the aim of promoting good governance, human rights, rule of law and good principles of economic management for the betterment of African people. Tanzania joined the process in 2004, Parliament ratified it in early 2005 and actual assessment started in mid 2007.
