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Chronicle Writer

THE African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have signed a renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five years, agreeing to continue to work together towards the common objective of promoting fair and efficient tax systems and administrations in Africa.

The signing event was done on the sidelines of the ongoing ATAF Annual Meetings in Cape Town, South Africa.

The strategic collaboration between the two will focus on several substantive areas in the fields of tax policy, tax administration, and domestic and international taxation, said ATAF in a press release issued today.

“Through our continued cooperation with ATAF over the past 10 years, we have been working in partnership with African countries in improving their tax systems and administrations, demonstrating significant results in critical areas such as Value Added Tax (VAT) and revenue statistics”, reads the statement quoting Fabrizia Lapecorella, OECD deputy secretary-general.

“ATAF has also played a key role in facilitating African countries’ input to shape the design of the ‘two-pillar solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy to the benefit of developing countries.

“We look forward to our continued co-operation, as well as to ongoing dialogue on how to further increase the impact of our joint work.”

Emphasizing the significance of this renewed partnership, Mr Logan Wort, the ATAF executive secretary, highlighted the pivotal role it plays in amplifying Africa’s voice and championing equitable tax systems globally.

“In a world that often overlooks the unique challenges and perspectives of the African continent, the renewed partnership between OECD and ATAF ensures that Africa’s voice is not just heard, but resonates with influence and purpose.”

He noted that by championing domestic resource mobilisation, we can drive the vision of equitable and proficient tax systems on the world stage and pave the way for a brighter future, directly bettering the lives of African citizens.

The conference began today and ends on Friday.