The terms of reference for the prize committee of the Mo Ibrahim prize for achievement in African leadership

  1. The Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation shall appoint a Prize Committee of eminent persons of the highest integrity and competence. There will be strong African representation, with a balance of race and gender and without conflicting business interests. The Prize Committee will include two members drawn from the Board of the Foundation.
  2. Prize Committee members will serve staggered terms up to three years’ duration. Although members are eligible for reappointment, there is an expectation of regular change in the Prize Committee. Individuals may be appointed to fill out shorter terms in order to maintain staggered terms.
  3. Members of the Prize Committee will ascribe to the values of the Prize and assure their independence, integrity, and lack of conflict of interests. Members may step down from the Prize Committee at any time, for any reason, on notice to the Prize Committee Chairman or the Board of the Foundation.
  4. The Prize Committee will be supported by the Foundation Secretariat.
  5. The Prize Committee will convene twice a year: Once to organize their activities and once to make final selection of the year’s Laureate. All Prize Committee members should be present in person to the fullest extent possible. Prize Committee members will also have a central role at the formal conveying of the Mo Ibrahim Prize.
  6. In the first meeting, the Prize Committee will review the list of eligible candidates for the Mo Ibrahim Prize.
    1. Eligible candidates are former executive heads of state or government in any sub-Saharan African state who have taken office through democratic elections and who have left office in the previous three years, having served the constitutional term as stipulated when taking office.
    2. The Prize Committee will review the current preparations of the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
    3. The Prize Committee will task the Secretariat with needed research for its deliberations, focused principally on eligible candidates and the Ibrahim Index, but possibly including other background materials.
  7. Prior to the second meeting of the Prize Committee, the Secretariat will, with guidance from the Prize Committee Chairman, prepare research materials as requested. Where appropriate this may be provided in confidence to Prize Committee members in the interim.
  8. At the second meeting, the Prize Committee will deliberate and nominate the Mo Ibrahim Prize Laureate.
    1. The meeting will take place in confidence, and continue until a Laureate is selected, or the Prize Committee determines that no winner should be announced this year. Decisions will be recorded.
    2. In attendance only will be Members of the Prize Committee and the Foundation’s Executive Director.
    3. Normally the meeting will be broken up into sections -
      1. first considering the results of the Ibrahim Index and its implications
      2. reviewing eligible candidates (including any background materials prepared and the performance of their countries during their terms in office according to the Index and more widely)
      3. preparing a short list of candidates
      4. considering the merits of the short-listed candidates
      5. selecting the Laureate (or determining that no one merits such designation this year)
      6. outlining reasons to be made public for the choice - focussing only on the Laureate and not on candidates passed over
      7. adjourning to allow preparation of a formal statement for public release
      8. reconvening to adopt the statement and prepare any communications to the Board
    4. The Board of the Foundation will make itself available so that it may receive and accept formally the recommendation of the Prize Committee. The Secretariat will be prepared to liaise with the Laureate and/or their staff in advance of public release of the selection.
    5. It is expected that the Prize Committee will announce its selection shortly thereafter, with the presence of the Chairman and/or those Members of the Prize Committee able to attend a press briefing.
  9. The Secretariat together with the Board and Prize Committee will prepare a draft citation to be presented to the Laureate at the formal Prize Ceremony.
  10. The Prize aims to encourage leaders who fully dedicate their constitutional tenure of office to surmount the development challenges of their countries, improving the welfare of their people and consolidating the foundation for sustainable development. It is hoped that the Prize also will heighten discussion across societies about the criteria by which all governments’ records should best be assessed. In selecting of the Mo Ibrahim Laureate, the Prize Committee will review the following criteria -
    1. The prize will be awarded for the performance of their country during their time in office, relative to all Sub-Saharan African countries.
    2. National progress must be reflected in the following areas of governance:
      1. Sustainable economic development
      2. Human development: health and education
      3. Transparency, including the fight against corruption, and empowerment of civil society
      4. Democracy and human rights
      5. Rule of law and security.
    3. Assessment of performance must be objective, taking into account the Ibrahim Index and other reputable analysis.
    4. The rationale for selection of the Laureate should be clearly communicated to the public.
  11. The deliberations and supporting materials of the Prize Committee are totally confidential. No Member of the Prize Committee will reveal the thrust or details of deliberations, or the fate of unsuccessful candidates, at any time. It is anticipated that the archives of the Foundation will include Secretariat materials such as background papers and data under a 25 year seal.
  12. Under no circumstances will the Prize Committee, Secretariat, or Foundation Board meet with eligible candidates to discuss their actual or potential candidature. Individuals may in the course of their other normal duties encounter candidates, and such personal knowledge may be helpful in Prize Committee deliberations, but without any discussion of the Ibrahim Prize or associated deliberations.
  13. The Foundation is dedicated to transparency in governance and accordingly, the names of the Prize Committee, the Prize selection process, the Ibrahim Index, and the public rationale for selection of the Laureate will all be widely available.

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