Assembly/AU/ Dec.198 (XI) DECISION ON THE AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM The Assembly: 1. RECALLS that at its Inaugural Summit, in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, it had adopted a Declaration on the Implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development [Assembly/AU/Decl. 1 (I) endorsing the Progress Report and Initial Action Plan [AHG/235 (XXXVIII)], encouraging Member States to adopt the NEPAD Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance [AHG/235 (XXXVIII) Annex I] and accede to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) [AHG/235 (XXXVIII) Annex II]; 2. RECALLS that the mandate of the APRM is to encourage Participating States in ensuring that the policies and practices of Participating States conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and to achieve mutually agreed objectives in socioeconomic development contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance; 3. NOTES that twenty-eight (28) Member States have voluntarily acceded to APRM and INVITES all Member States that have not yet done so to join the Mechanism; 4. WELCOMES the important role being played by the Committee of Participating Heads of State and Government in the APRM ("APRM Forum") and the Panel of Eminent Persons of the APRM ("APRM Panel"); 5. CALLS UPON the government of the Republic of South Africa to grant all facilities to APRM for the discharge of its mandate; 6. DECIDES that APRM Structures, namely the APRM Forum, the APRM Panel and the APRM Secretariat shall be part of the processes and structures of the African Union; 7. REQUESTS the Commission to negotiate and conclude a host agreement, with the Government of the Republic of South Africa, for APRM with a view to facilitating the discharge of its mandate.