It was highly important that the work of the African Review Panel was independent and it was well resourced, South African president Thabo Mbeki said on Sunday.
”It is critically important that their work needs to have the necessary independence, with no no-go areas. Secondly it is important that the panel should not have resource constraints, and (as an example) reach decisions in order to please a donor,” said Mbeki, who emphasised the need for the panel to work ”effectively
and independently”.
Mbeki was addressing a media briefing in Cape Town, where a two-day workshop of the first high level work session of the African Peer Review Panel concluded its deliberations.
”It is the first time members of the panel come together and is a very important moment in the evolution of processes for the renewal of the continent,” he said.
The panel’s task was to assist African countries and governments achieve ”good political governance, good economic governance and good corporate governance” as part of the renewal process.
Asked about what he thought the main challenges facing the panel were, Mbeki deferred the answer to members of the panel, but did elucidate on the issue of the perceived lack of countries signing up for the peer review process.
”The process is very new… only completed including the acceptance of the panel in May 2003. We need to give countries time to look at some of the detailed documents regarding issues of governance. It (the lack of countries signing up) is not a problem, more countries will come in, I’m certain of that.”
Responding to what the most salient challenges were for the panel, Senegal’s Marie-Angelique Savant said that while they were numerous, the top three were to ”make sure that (the panel) set standards, not only for Africans, but (that would be) respected by the international community (as well)”.
She said that within countries there needed to be consensus across the entire sector of society so that the people could accept review.
”Thirdly, the issue of funding and resources. Experience in Africa showed that there was excitement at the start of an initiative… but then a failure to meet requirements,” said Savant.
Kenya’s Betheul Kiplagat elaborated on the challenges faced, saying that issues of ”psychological barriers” needed to be addressed.
”There is a lot of pessimism… we are prisoners of ourselves… but must break out of this pessimism. Externally they are also asking are they (Africans) serious — we will surprise them, its not if we will do it, but will do it,” he said.
The seven-member peer review panel consists of eminent Africans who represented all the major regions on the continent. They include Dr Graca Machel, the wife of former president Nelson Mandela, and Chris Stals, the former SA Reserve Bank governor. – Sapa