By Tendai Guvamombe (Midrand, South Africa, 24 July 2025)
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is solidifying its position as a vital continental model for good governance, conflict prevention, and sustainable development.
With 44 African countries now participating, the APRM’s scope has expanded significantly since 2017, going beyond governance assessments to include tracking Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and producing the biannual Africa Governance Report (AGR).
The APRM’s growing mandate also encompasses supporting member states in their interactions with international credit rating agencies and spearheading the development of an African Credit Rating Agency. This proactive approach reflects a continent committed to tackling its challenges in an interconnected and often volatile global context.
At its core, the APRM operates across six thematic areas: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance, Socio-Economic Development, State Resilience to Shocks and Disasters, and the newly added e-Governance and Digital Transformation.
The APRM’s strength lies in its principles of national ownership and credibility. Nations voluntarily undergo transparent assessments, engage citizens and civil society in national dialogue, accept review findings, and commit to implementing corrective action plans. This “by Africans, for Africans” ethos is key, ensuring the mechanism serves as a mirror for self-improvement rather than an external audit.
Mr. Germain Tshinu, representing the APRM CEO, highlighted the mechanism’s expanded role in early warning and conflict prevention. Insights from recent peer review reports, including Zambia (2025) and South Africa (2022), reveal critical indicators of potential conflict. These include:
Environmental risks: Climate change, water disputes, and land degradation. African countries are losing an average of 2-5% of their GDP annually due to climate change. Around 408 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lacked basic drinking water services in 2022, and many areas are losing over 50 tons of soil per hectare per year due to degradation.
The APRM’s Synthesis Report on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention reaffirms its role as a proactive and data-driven platform that not only diagnoses risks but also offers actionable recommendations for strengthening resilience and governance across Africa. Its success hinges on continued partnerships and member states’ commitment to implementing reforms and remaining accountable.
Political instability: Electoral disputes, unconstitutional changes of government, and restricted civic space.
Economic vulnerabilities: High youth unemployment, with South Africa’s youth unemployment rate reaching 62.4% in Q1 2025. Income inequality is also a major concern, as evidenced by Gini coefficients of 44.7 for the Democratic Republic of Congo (2020) and approximately 0.63 for South Africa (2025).
Social tensions: Ethnic and religious conflict, gender discrimination, and community-based violence. In 2021, only about a quarter of men and women in South Africa felt women were treated with respect and dignity, compared to around 50% in Kenya and 52% in Uganda. Nigeria saw approximately 5,000 Christians killed for their faith in 2022.
Governance deficits: Corruption and weak institutions. In the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, Somalia scored just 9 out of 100, ranking among the lowest globally, while Seychelles scored highest in Africa with 72 points. The Fragile States Index 2023 indicates Somalia has the weakest central government in Africa.
