Keynote address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 20th anniversary celebrations of the African Peer Review Mechanism at the Capital on the Park, Sandton

Programme Director,
Your Excellency Julius Maada Bio, Chairperson of the APR Forum of Heads of State and Government and President of Sierra Leone, 
Your Excellency Abdoulie Janneh, Chair of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons,
Chief Executive Officer of the APRM Continental Secretariat, Prof Eddy Maloka,
Representatives of the APRM Continental Secretariat and various AU structures present this evening,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers, 
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Good Evening. 

It is a great pleasure to be here as we mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the African Peer Review Mechanism, which is a vital tool for achieving the Africa we want. 

I am also pleased to present South Africa’s Second-Generation Country Review Report, together with its National Plan of Action. 

The African Peer Review Mechanism would not have been possible and would not have been able to record such progress were it not for the vision and efforts of several African leaders. 

These are leaders who have been on this continental journey since the APRM was first established in 2003 at the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Heads of State Summit in Abuja. 

I want to acknowledge President Thabo Mbeki who was the Chair of the African Union when the APRM was launched twenty years ago, and who has been one of the mechanism’s most ardent advocates and supporters. 

I wish to acknowledge President Olusegun Obasanjo who was also instrumental to the launch of the APRM, and ensured that Nigeria became one of the first countries to accede to the mechanism. 

Twenty years ago they laid out a vision of the APRM to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated economic integration through the sharing of experiences and reinforcement of best practice. 

However, our collective resolve to ensure the APRM remains relevant has been tested by recent events across our continent. 

Over the past three years there have been a number of coups d’etat, failed coup attempts and other non-democratic transitions of power in Africa. 

A number of countries in Africa are beset by terrible and protracted conflicts, causing devastating loss of human life, livelihoods and economic productivity. 

Elsewhere also on our continent we are witnessing democratic gains being rolled back, fundamental rights and freedoms being curtailed, and the positions of already vulnerable groups worsening. 

These developments trouble us all. They are setbacks in our quest to realise the Africa we want, one that is characterised by good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law. 

Just as the erosion of democracy poses a threat to the realisation of Agenda 2063, so too do the pressing challenges of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment, all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Never has the need been greater for a structure like the APRM, a voluntary governance self-monitoring mechanism that, according to a South African think-tank, “encourages countries to take responsibility for directing the course of their own development”. 

On this 20th anniversary of the establishment of the APRM we once again make a call for all countries to accede to the mechanism. 

We are pleased and honoured that the launch of South Africa’s Second-Generation Country Review Report coincides with this anniversary. 

The report reflects South Africa’s ongoing commitment to promoting good governance, especially as we will soon be observing 30 years of democracy. 

South Africa was the first country to be offered the opportunity to undertake self-assessment and to be peer reviewed on the respective thematic areas.

I want to express my appreciation to Bishop Dinis Sengulane who led the external mission that visited South Africa in December 2021. Thanks also go to all national and continental structures and stakeholders who ensured the successful conclusion of the self-assessment and peer review process. 

The Report serves as an important knowledge base and provides a foundation for improving governance. 

As we celebrate 20 years since the founding of the APRM, we should acknowledge that, despite the setbacks, democracy indices in Africa are strong and resilient. 

Public support for democracy remains high across the continent. 

Africa has an active citizenry. Electorates are showing time and again their rejection of authoritarianism and other threats to democracy. 

In no small part, the APRM has contributed to strengthening and consolidating democracy across our continent. 

It is significant that the APRM now stretches across all the AU regions, and that the vast majority of AU member states are part of the mechanism.

This is a clear demonstration that democracy lives and thrives in Africa. 

It is a firm rejection of the hopeless continent narrative that has prevailed for so long. 

We are proud of how far we have come, and we look to the future with optimism and hope. 

To borrow from the words of President Mbeki on the passing of President Julius Mwalima Nyerere 24 years ago: Africans today walk with a firm tread in their step, confident of a better future for themselves and for the African motherland.

On the 20th anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism, we have much to celebrate. 

Let us use this occasion to reaffirm our commitment to realising the better future for the African motherland towards which all our people aspire.

I thank you.