Liberian-born development expert Dr. Thelma M. Awori has been appointed as a member of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), one of the African Union’s most influential institutions for promoting democratic governance, accountability, and sustainable development across the continent.
Her appointment was approved during the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held February 14-15, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The decision was formally communicated in a letter dated February 25, 2026, from the APRM Continental Secretariat.
In the letter, Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, Chief Executive Officer of the APRM Continental Secretariat, noted that the Panel of Eminent Persons plays a central role in safeguarding the credibility, independence, and technical rigor of the peer review process across participating African countries.
“We are confident that your expertise and leadership will greatly strengthen its work,” the letter stated.
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Dr. Awori brings more than four decades of leadership in international development, governance reform, and social policy to the continental body. Her career includes senior positions within the United Nations system, where she served as Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 1997 to 2000.
In that role, she oversaw UNDP programs across 45 African countries, managing more than 1,300 staff and an annual program budget exceeding US$1.4 billion, while guiding policy initiatives focused on economic development, governance reform, and poverty reduction across the continent.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Awori also served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Zimbabwe, where she coordinated the work of multiple UN agencies and development partners while overseeing major national development programs.
Her experience also includes leadership roles with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, now UN Women), where she served as Deputy Director and earlier headed the organization’s Africa section, helping to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives across African countries.
Beyond the United Nations system, Dr. Awori has played an influential role in civil society and policy advocacy across Africa. She is a co-founder of the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC), a coalition of major African women’s networks that advocates for gender equality within African Union policy processes.
She has also been a long-time advocate for the empowerment of rural women and market traders, including through the Sustainable Market Women’s Fund in Liberia, an initiative designed to strengthen the voices of women in economic decision-making and development policy.
Dr. Awori’s appointment to the APRM Panel places a Liberian voice within a key continental governance structure responsible for guiding the African Peer Review Process, a voluntary mechanism through which African countries evaluate each other’s performance in areas such as political governance, economic management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development.
Members of the Panel of Eminent Persons are selected for their integrity, independence, and distinguished experience in public service and development policy, and they are responsible for ensuring the credibility and objectivity of country review missions and governance assessments across Africa.
Dr. Awori’s appointment continues a notable Liberian legacy within the African Peer Review Mechanism. Liberia’s late statesman and political scientist, Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer, previously served as Chairperson of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons, where he helped guide several continental governance reviews and led country missions, including the peer review process in Kenya.
His tenure helped strengthen the credibility of the APRM during its formative years and positioned Liberia among the countries contributing intellectual and policy leadership to Africa’s evolving governance architecture.
Liberia’s continued representation at this level reflects the country’s long engagement with continental governance reform and institution-building. From its early participation in the African Union’s governance initiatives to the contributions of Liberian scholars, diplomats, and development practitioners in international institutions, the country has often produced voices that help shape policy debates far beyond its borders.
Dr. Awori’s appointment therefore not only recognizes her distinguished career in global development and public policy but also reinforces Liberia’s enduring footprint in Africa’s efforts to promote democratic governance, accountability, and inclusive development.
Dr. Awori’s professional background closely aligns with the governance and development objectives of the APRM. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has worked extensively on economic and social development policy, post-conflict reconstruction, and institutional reform across Africa.
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As Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa at the United Nations Development Programme, she oversaw development programs in dozens of African countries, focusing on poverty reduction, governance capacity, and sustainable economic growth.
Her experience advising governments, coordinating international development partners, and promoting women’s participation in economic and public life provides expertise directly relevant to the APRM’s mandate of assessing governance performance and supporting policy reform among African Union member states.
According to the APRM Secretariat, Dr. Awori was invited to participate in an introductory onboarding session scheduled for March 5, 2026, where new panel members will receive briefings on the institution’s mandate, governance structures, and strategic priorities.
An in-person induction meeting of the panel is also being planned to allow for consultations and strategic planning among members as they prepare to guide future governance reviews across participating states.
Dr. Awori’s appointment adds to Liberia’s longstanding engagement with continental governance initiatives and underscores the growing influence of Liberian professionals in shaping policy dialogue and institutional reform across Africa.