Ghana Volunteer for Scrutiny by Peers

KIGALI - Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Mauritius will be the first African nations given a "peer review" aimed at promoting good governance, officials said ahead of the opening of a summit in Rwanda Friday.

African leaders are gathering for a two-day meeting to push forward a plan to monitor each other's performance on human rights, corruption and other issues, to counter the continent's reputation for bad governance.

Organizers of the meeting expect up to 11 heads of state, including South Africa's Thabo Mbeki and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria to attend the meeting in the Rwandan capital Kigali.

The African Union's 53 members agreed to set up the peer- review mechanism in 2002 but so far only 16 governments have agreed to be rated on criteria such as economic policy, commitment to democracy and business environment.

Diplomats say the scheme's voluntary nature means states with the worst records on democracy are unlikely to take part.

Volunteers Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana and Mauritius are eager to highlight their progress after recent leadership changes or elections, said an official from the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), an economic plan for Africa.

"By agreeing to be reviewed first, those countries are leading by example and reassuring others who have signed," said Louis Gnagbe, NEPAD spokesman.

Ghana's John Kufuor became president just more than three years ago, taking over from former leader Jerry Rawlings who led coups but stepped down after serving two elected terms.

Paul Berenger was sworn in as prime minister of Mauritius in September and President Paul Kagame, who has dominated Rwandan politics since the 1994 genocide, won elections last August.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's government swept to power just more than a year ago, ending Daniel arap Moi's 24-year rule, and its moves to improve governance has won promises of renewed financing from donors.

Ghana will be first to be scrutinised from April, followed by Kenya in June and Rwanda in September.

Officials said the reviews would take six to nine months, during which teams visit the country, talk to opposition politicians and civic groups and recommend any necessary action.

According to guidelines drawn up on the peer review, African leaders can decide to take "appropriate measures" such as suspending a state from the NEPAD plan if its actions undermined the stability and the reputation of the continent.

But the worst performers are unlikely to step under the spotlight, diplomats said.

"What we need to see are the usual suspects, Zimbabwe, Libya, Eritrea, (Togo President Gnassingbe) Eyadema and a couple of others in West Africa," a Western diplomat said.