Over 100 Mozambican civil society representatives, reflecting diverse interests and organizations throughout Mozambique, attended a two day conference at the Hotel VIP in Maputo on 20-21 August 2007 to engage with the country's APRM National Self-Assessment process.
The conference was jointly hosted by the Mozambique National APRM Forum and EISA and was the first public meeting to discuss and popularize the APRM in Mozambique. The Portuguese speaking nation is the ninth country (and first Portuguese-speaking state) to launch a process of peer review, whereby other APRM signatory states comment on and suggest improvements to the standards of a country's governance practices in the areas of democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development.
The conference was also attended by a number of dignitaries, including Mrs Graca Machel, speaking in her capacity as both a Mozambican National and as a Member of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons. Speakers from South Africa and Kenya also shared their country experiences with the APRM with delegates, who were drawn from all ten of Mozambique's provinces. The conference included lively debates on several process and methodological issues relating to how Mozambique intends to proceed in completing a Self-Assessment report, the first step towards completing a peer review. The Mozambique APRM National Forum noted that the conference was a good start, but that much work remains in bringing a greater awareness to all Mozambican citizens of the importance and relevance of the APRM. A programme of provincial and district seminars to popularize the APRM is planned from September 2007.
Mozambique aimed to complete its self-assessment report in mid 2008.
