ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – February 13, 2026 — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially assumed the chairmanship of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), marking a significant moment for Uganda’s leadership in continental governance and development reforms.
The instruments of authority were received on his behalf by Vice President Jessica Alupo during the 35th Ordinary Session of the APR Forum of Heads of State and Government held in Addis Ababa. President Museveni succeeds Abdelmadjid Tebboune and will serve a two-year term as Chairperson of the APR Forum, the highest decision-making body of the Mechanism.
In his acceptance speech delivered by Vice President Alupo, President Museveni pledged a contribution of $1 million to support the operations of the APRM. He commended President Tebboune and the people of Algeria for their leadership, noting that during his predecessor’s tenure, the Mechanism advanced key initiatives including progress toward the Africa Credit Rating Agency, publication of the Africa Governance Report on Natural Resource Governance, completion of several Country and Targeted Review Reports, and adoption of the APRM Strategic Plan 2025–2028.
President Museveni emphasized that the APRM must now move “from diagnosis to action,” ensuring that governance assessments translate into practical reforms and measurable impact on citizens’ lives. He stressed that Africa’s development challenges stem not from lack of vision but from structural bottlenecks that hinder implementation, including weak infrastructure, fragmented markets, institutional fragility, governance deficits, and limited value addition.
Strategic Priorities
Under Uganda’s chairmanship, President Museveni outlined three key priorities. First, strengthening the implementation of APRM reviews by embedding recommendations into national development plans and budgets through effective National Programmes of Action. Second, deepening peer learning by promoting candid, evidence-based exchanges among member states on governance, service delivery, economic transformation, and inclusive growth. Third, enhancing the institutional sustainability of the APRM through stronger coordination with the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, improved data use, and predictable financing.
He noted that the full operationalization of the Africa Credit Rating Agency would reinforce Africa’s financial sovereignty and development credibility.
President Museveni said Uganda assumes leadership at a critical time as Africa advances Agenda 2063 and works toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to strengthening the APRM as a practical governance instrument that supports institutional reform, political stability, continental integration, and sustainable development.
Calling on member states to deepen their participation and encouraging non-member states to join the Mechanism, Museveni pledged that Uganda will work closely with the APR Panel of Eminent Persons, the APRM Secretariat, and National Governing Councils to strengthen the relevance and impact of the Mechanism.
“Together, let us ensure that the APRM evolves from a mechanism of assessment into a driver of action, reform, and tangible progress for our people,” he said.
