The Role and Engagement of Civil Society in Ethiopia’s first Cycle African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Process
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Date
2010-05
Authors
Assefa, Deribe
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Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
African peer Review mechanism (APRM) is a voluntarily self assessment mechanism in
which each participating country’s government is evaluated and monitored from the four
dimensions of governance: Democracy and political governance, economic governance
and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development. Ethiopia is
one of the member states in APRM and it has produced its Country Self Assessment
Report (CSAR) and National Program of Action (NPoA). The mechanism has
acknowledged the critical role of all stakeholders including civil society and private
sector in the review process.
The major purpose of this study was to investigate the role and engagement of civil
society in Ethiopia’s first cycle APRM process. The study employed a mixture of
qualitative and quantitative approaches by means of a triangulation technique in
integrating information gathered through questionnaire, interview and document review.
Samples were drawn from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the basis of purposive
sampling technique in order to gather data through questionnaire. In addition, other
organizations from members of National Governing Council and informant individuals
were approached through interview. The literature review conducted for the purpose of
this study has underlined the importance of meaningful participation of civil society in
major activities and stages of APRM to make the review process credible and fruitful.
The finding of the study shows that the role and engagement of civil society in Ethiopia’s
first cycle APRM were at minimal level and unsatisfactory. Similarly, the definition and
scope of civil society in APRM was narrow. Under conclusion part, the paper indicates
that the insignificant engagement of CSOs in APRM would undermine their participation
and commitment during actual implementation of NPoA. Thus government should create
conducive environment for effective participation of all categories of civil society in
governance issues. This would again require engendering vibrant civil society and open
political space for civic engagement
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Keywords
APRM