afrol News, 12 October - A Ghanaian citizen Francis Appiah has become the sixteenth recipient of the German Africa Prize for his untiring dedication to reform.

The award is reserved for Africans who have done an outstanding job in the service of peace, stability, democracy, human rights and the social who have done an outstanding job in the service of peace, stability, democracy, human rights and the social market economy in Africa.

Botswana’s anti-AIDS activist and pharmacologist, Segolame Ramotlhwa, won the last year’s prize for leading the national HIV/AIDS treatment programme.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who launched the prize to allow governments to review their own actions, praised Appiah’s works, saying it depicts that “Africa is taking its destiny in its own hands.”

The Ghanaian’s exceptional services in establishing the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Ghana and across the continent earned him the award. The Within the framework of the APRM, the African states monitor their own actions and measure them against pre-determined standards such as good governance.

As a pro-reform pioneer, Appiah’s work has given hope to many people throughout Africa new hope and courage.

Within the national APRM, Francis Appiah was responsible for reviewing Ghana. He managed to conduct the review in his country independently of political influence and the results gave a realistic picture of the country, which emerged with the help of many critical citizens.

Chancellor Merkel, who has just concluded a week’s tour in Africa, commended the Ghanaian for setting “new yardsticks” that many countries are now willing to implement so that they put the politics of their countries to test. She described both the prize and its winner as promising signs of impressive development of the African continent.

"We are delighted that the support for NEPAD and the APRM again played a leading part at this year's G8 summit in Heiligendamm," said Professor Karl-Heinz Hornhues, Chairman of the Foundation.

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was initiated by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) - development programme of the African Union launched in 2001 recognise the pillars of economic growth, sustainable development and successful poverty reduction – peace and security, good governance, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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