President Tebboune’s speech at the Forum of Heads of State and Government of the African Mechanism – New Algeria

face presidentAbdelmadjid Tebboune, today, Friday, delivered a speech to the participants in the 35th Forum of Heads of State and Government of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism, which is currently underway in Addis Ababa, in his capacity as the current president of this body. Prime MinisterSaifi Gharib, today is Friday.

This is its full text:

“His Excellency Mr. João Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union, Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government, Your Excellency Mr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Ambassador Ali El-Hafni, Chairman of the Committee of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism, Her Excellency Ambassador Marie Antoinette Rose-Cutter, Director-General of the Continental Secretariat of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism,

Your Excellencies the Commissioners and Heads of African Union Bodies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is a matter of honor to address your honorable gathering on the occasion of the thirty-fifth regular session of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Mechanism for Peer Evaluation (MAEP), which is being held under the presidency of Algeria, in the hospitable city of Addis Ababa.

I would like, first of all, to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Ethiopian authorities for the generous hospitality and warm reception we have received, and to express my sincere gratitude and gratitude to the leadership of the African Union and through it to the continental secretariat of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism, for the good preparation and careful organization of the work of our summit.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

This summit, which will witness the end of Algeria’s rotating presidency of the Forum of Heads of State and Government of the African Mechanism, constitutes an important institutional moment that allows the presentation of the outcome of the Algerian presidency during the period 2024-2026, on the one hand, and the smooth and regular handover of the presidency of the Forum to the sister Republic of Uganda, in accordance with the internal rules of the African Mechanism and the relevant African Union decisions.

Algeria’s commitment, as a founding member, to promoting the principles and achieving the objectives of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism is a natural extension of its effective participation in the continental mechanisms of the African Union. It is a commitment based on respect for the sovereignty of member states, the African multilateral system and governmental cooperation among the countries of the continent.

It is also consistent with Algeria’s diplomatic tradition of promoting dialogue and promoting African solutions to African challenges.

Algeria assumed the presidency of this forum in February 2024 in a context characterized by a number of challenges facing the continent in the areas of governance, peace and security, sustainable development, and institutional flexibility (résilience institutionnelle). It has maintained a clear-cut approach aimed at repositioning the mechanism as a credible and effective strategic tool that is fully consistent with the priorities of the African Union, including Agenda 2063, the African governance structure, and the African peace and security architecture.

From its position as President of the Forum, my country was keen to continue strengthening the work of the mechanism, paying special attention to expanding its scope by encouraging the rest of the sister African countries to join it.

This effort has been crowned by the growing status and importance of the mechanism at the national level in many African countries, which was translated by the joining of two new countries: the Central African Republic, which joined us at the beginning of our presidency of the forum, and the Republic of Somalia, which in turn joined our mechanism recently to become the forty-fifth member (45).

This upward dynamism of the process of joining our mechanism represents a strong signal of confidence and conclusive evidence of the importance that our countries attach to improving and strengthening governance.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

The Algerian presidency was marked by several important achievements, including in particular:

First, the adoption and implementation of the strategic plan of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism for the period 2025-2028 based on the principles of professionalism, performance and integrity, which contributed to strengthening the strategic framework of the mechanism and improving the effectiveness of the implementation of its mandate, in line with the directives of Agenda 2063.

Secondly, strengthening governance evaluation mechanisms by conducting and presenting country assessments and targeted evaluations, which contributed to improving public policies, exchanging best practices, and learning from peers among participating countries and members.

In this context, Sierra Leone, Togo, Ghana, Sao Tome and Principe and Zimbabwe will report on the state of governance in different sectors. Mozambique, Djibouti, Nigeria and Namibia will also present their progress reports on the implementation of the National Action Program of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism.

Third, integrating e-governance as a main topic in the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism, as it constituted an important step towards supporting the modernization of African public administrations and adapting governance systems to technological developments.

Fourth, enhancing the African Mechanism’s contribution to conflict prevention, especially through institutional dialogue with the African Union Peace and Security Council and work related to the African Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Mechanism framework, which has strengthened the link between governance, stability and sustainable peace.

Fifth, significant progress has been made in implementing the initiative to establish the African Credit Rating Agency, which is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the continent’s economic and financial resilience and a more balanced approach that takes into account African realities.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

In addition to the continued political and institutional support for our mechanism, the Algerian presidency was keen to provide financial support, represented by a voluntary financial contribution of one million US dollars.

A contribution that reflects our confidence in the mechanism and its pivotal role in strengthening and upgrading governance on our continent.

This financial support that my country provided to the Mechanism also allowed the programming and implementation of three country evaluations, including two targeted evaluations (évaluations ciblées) for Sao Tome and Principe and Zimbabwe, in addition to the second evaluation for Sierra Leone.

This commitment reflects the conviction that our mechanism is an essential tool for self-evaluation, constructive dialogue and shared responsibility, based on voluntary cooperation with respect for the sovereignty of Member States.

At the conclusion of this session, Algeria will officially hand over the presidency of the Our Mechanism Forum to His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, with all confidence in the ability of the new presidency to continue the efforts made, consolidate the achievements made, and enhance the role of the Mechanism within the African Union. Algeria remains fully prepared to share its experience and its balance in chairing the forum with sister Uganda.

In the same context, Algeria reaffirms, as a fully active and interactive participating state, its adherence to the principles, objectives and mandate of the mechanism.

For this purpose, Algeria, in cooperation with its counterparts, including the Troika members, Uganda and Burundi, will contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening the capabilities of member states in order to make the most possible use of the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism programs aimed at strengthening governance and encouraging development and prosperity throughout Africa, in the belief that this cooperative framework will remain a fundamental pillar of joint African action. Long live Africa! Long live the African Peer Evaluation Mechanism! Thank you for listening.”