Government of Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), with a sharpened focus on enhancing economic governance, transparency, and accountability in line with continental and national development goals.
The APRM, an initiative of the African Union (AU), serves as a self-assessment and peer-learning platform designed to promote good governance, sound economic management, and sustainable development among African nations. With over two-thirds of AU member states having already acceded to the mechanism, Zimbabwe which joined in 2020 continues to embrace the process as a catalyst for reform and progress.
Speaking during an engagement with the visiting APRM delegation yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, underscored the significance of the mechanism in driving Africa’s home-grown solutions.
“The APRM is a uniquely African initiative that embodies mutual accountability, self-assessment, and continuous improvement in governance and development to ensure that no one and no place is left behind. This review focuses on the thematic area of economic governance and management, which the Government of Zimbabwe has identified as a national priority,” he said.
Ambassador Chimbindi added that the ongoing review would allow Zimbabwe to take an in-depth look at its economic governance systems, identify areas of strength and weakness, and align reforms with national development blueprints such as Vision 2030 and the soon-to-be-launched National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2). These initiatives, he said, also dovetail with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Head of the APRM visiting delegation, Ambassador Aly El-Hefny, highlighted the value of the process in fostering learning, cooperation, and regional integration.
“The APRM’s goal is not to judge, but to learn, share and document best practices that strengthen accountability, fiscal discipline, and institutional efficiency,” he noted.
Echoing these sentiments, Chairperson of the National Governing Council APRM Zimbabwe, Ambassador James Manzou, praised President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s continued support for the mechanism.
“His Excellency’s commitment to the peer-review process has been evident since Zimbabwe’s accession in February 2020,” he said.
As a driver of continental transformation, the APRM enables African nations to learn from each other’s experiences, improve governance systems, and build stronger institutions. Zimbabwe’s engagement in this process reaffirms its determination to achieve inclusive growth, sound governance, and sustainable development key pillars for the realisation of Agenda 2063’s vision of ‘The Africa We Want.’
