A/HRC/4/WG.2/TF/2 page 8 capacity for self-sustaining development; acceleration of socio-economic development towards poverty eradication; access to water, energy, finance, markets and information and communication technology (ICT) in rural areas; progress towards gender equality; and encouragement of broad-based participation. 31. With 75 per cent of the total African population as members of APRM, the process has been implemented in Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Benin and the United Republic of Tanzania to date. With Ghana’s experience, the country to reach the most advanced stage of the process, the Panel had the opportunity to prove that APRM’s idealistic objectives can work. Chris Stals concluded with some lessons learned, such as proper preparation before commencing the process, full consent of all actors concerned, and the need to avoid overpoliticization of the process by focusing on technical dimensions. 32. In the afternoon, a representative of the APRM secretariat gave its perspective on the process, complementing the presentation by Chris Stals, and focused on the various obstacles faced, such as limited capacity and financial resources. The APRM representative further mentioned that the resulting national plan of action would ideally provide an occasion to create a single reference document on growth and poverty reduction strategies, on the basis of which a country can undertake action. 33. The Executive Secretary of the APRM National Governing Council Ghana (NAPRM-GC) reported to the task force members and observers on the Ghanaian experience of the APRM process, emphasizing the political commitment and will of the Government to make the APRM process a success. He spoke about the methodology employed by the NAPRM-GC, the structures to manage the process, and efforts to ensure education, sensitization and creation of ownership of APRM among the population. He concluded with a reference to the challenges, such as initial funding, ensuring non-partisanship of the process, and wide information dissemination. 34. The representative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) spoke on the work of his organization to support the APRM process in the continent. He stressed the unique features of APRM, as a self-monitoring and voluntary mechanism for peer review based on mutual trust, with the ambitious goal of changing the nature of the debate on development in Africa. The process further aimed to strengthen internal accountability mechanisms and to enhance stakeholder participation. At the country level, the process is already revealing that citizens perceive economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the right to development, as their entitlements. In his view, APRM was reflective of a human rights-based approach to development, as States undertook certain obligations on the basis of the plan of action resulting from the process. He concluded by stating that the right-to-development criteria should be about enhancing two dimensions of accountability: the domestic accountability on resource allocation, and the accountability within international development partnerships. 35. Margaret Sekaggya, member of the task force, presented comments on APRM, highlighting the best practices within the process, such as the sharing of experiences and peer learning among African countries, the ownership and self-assessment dimensions, the inclusion of key regional bodies in the process, and broad-based stakeholder participation. She also