Following the designation of Mo Ibrahim Foundation as the APRM Strategic Partner by the 25th APR Forum, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Director, Liaison with Governments and Institutions in Africa and Mrs. Nathalie Delapalme, Executive Director, Research and Policy of Mo Ibrahim paid a two-day working visit to the APRM Continental Secretariat in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Mission which was from 16-17 January 2017 discussed and agreed on the areas of collaboration between the two organizations and these will inform the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is one of the key African organisations that assesses the state and the progress of governance in all 54 African countries through a reputable initiative known as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG). For its part, the APRM, an African owned and led self-assessment initiative, promotes good governance and socio economic development through the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, shared economic growth and sustainable development. The two organisations, thus, share common values, approaches and commitment with regard to promoting good governance in Africa.

The two organizations identified the following five areas for collaboration; Knowledge and data sharing; harmonization of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) with APRM processes, including the representation of APRM on the Ibrahim Index Advisory Council; capacity support to the Continental Secretariat; support of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to the continental drive for universal accession to the APRM and participation of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in APRM Country Review Missions.

The meeting concluded with the organizations agreeing that they will meet once a quarter at the headquarters of the APRM Continental Secretariat to assess the state of the implementation of the strategic partnership and undertook to invite and/or partner with each other at their respective events.

The Forum of the Heads of State and Government of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) participating countries decided at their 25th Summit of APR Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya on 26 August 2016, to include the Mo Ibrahim Foundation as one of the five Strategic Partners of APRM, along with the United Nation Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).