ADDIS ABABA – President Emmerson Mnangagwa today attended the 35th African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Forum held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, where Zimbabwe’s country review report was formally presented to participating Heads of State and Government.
The forum also marked a leadership transition within the mechanism. Algeria, which chaired the APRM from 2024 to 2026, handed over the chairmanship to Uganda, set to lead the body through to 2028.
Zimbabwe underwent its peer review late last year, a process designed to evaluate governance, economic management, and socio-political development among member states. Following the presentation of Zimbabwe’s report, President Mnangagwa welcomed the findings, describing the assessment as “fair and informative.”
State media quoted the President characterising the review as “a demonstration of African solidarity in pursuit of continental development that leaves no person and no place behind.”
Addressing delegates, President Mnangagwa reflected on Zimbabwe’s performance across the reviewed sectors, noting that the country had registered positive outcomes despite what he termed “two decades of coercive measures imposed by some Western countries.”
He reiterated Zimbabwe’s longstanding position on land reform, stating that the Land Reform Programme remains a sovereign policy decision. “Zimbabwe has no regrets,” the President said, adding that the nation had nevertheless performed well across the areas evaluated by the APRM.
The African Peer Review Mechanism, a flagship initiative of the African Union, promotes governance standards, policy learning, and institutional strengthening across the continent through voluntary country assessments.
Analysts attending the summit noted that Zimbabwe’s participation and reception of the report signal Harare’s continued engagement with continental governance frameworks and development dialogues.
