By Philip Mwakio

The National Governing Council for the Africa Peer Review Mechanism is meeting in Mombasa to lay plans for the country’s assessment.

While opening the two-day meeting, Council Chairman Sheikh Abdullahi Abdi said more resources would be needed to move the process forward.

"The requirements exceed what the Government is willing to give,’’ he said.

Abdi, who is also the Chairman of the National Muslim Leaders Forum, said the meeting was crucial in setting pace for the peer review programme. It is expected to deliberate on the Nepad/APRM Strategic Plan and the role of the APRM Governing Council.

Also to be discussed are options for legal and institutional independence of the APRM, and budget and resource mobilisation issues.

Standard Group Deputy Chairman and Strategy Advisor Paul Melly, who sits in the NGC as a representative of the media, is also in attendance.

APRM is a self-monitoring mechanism for member states of the African Union.

It aims to encourage conformity in regard to political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, among African countries.

The council will today release a communiquÈ on recommendations reached.

Kenya acceded voluntarily to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in March 2003.

assess compliance

The APRM process is based on a "self-assessment" questionnaire developed by the APR Secretariat. It is divided into four sections: democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development. Its questions are designed to assess States’ compliance with a wide range of African and international human rights treaties and standards.

The questionnaire was formally adopted in February 2004, in Kigali, Rwanda, by the first meeting of the APR Forum, made up of representatives of the heads of State or government of all states participating in the APRM.