Canada makes commitment to APRM

Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - Canada on Tuesday announced that it was committing about 700,000 Canadian dollars through the Canada Fund for Africa towards the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to support good governance.

A statement issued in Accra by the Canadian High Commission said Aileen Carroll, Canada's Minister of International Cooperation, said this in Washington at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meeting.

The statement said Canada strongly supported the peer review process and considered it integral to the success of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

"A commitment to good governance is essential to achieving sustainable development. This is an ideal opportunity for Canada and all donor countries to support African efforts to improve governance, while strengthening African partnerships.

"The APRM is an excellent example of Africans taking the lead in African development and Canada stepping in to support improved governance."

The APRM is a voluntary process of self-assessment by countries to identify and apply best practices in political and economic governance of which, as at now, 23 out of the 53 African countries have agreed to participate.

Some of the countries include Ghana, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania.

Mr Donald J. Bobiash, Canada's High Commissioner-designate to Ghana, commended Ghana for its leadership role, being the first to volunteer for the mechanism.