ATAF STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE GLOBAL SPREAD OF THE CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19)
African Tax Administration Forum • March 27, 2020
The novel corona virus/COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the health and social interaction of people across the globe. Since it was first reported in Wuhan, China, in November 2019, it has spread to 190 countries, with nearly 550 000 infections and over nearly 24 368 confirmed deaths according to the figures from the World Health Organisation as at 26 March 2020.
In Africa, more than 36 countries now have reported cases of COVID 19, with South Africa topping the list with over 927 cases. The WHO reported 1664 confirmed cases in Africa, and 29 deaths. But these numbers are rising hourly and daily.
To slow down and stem the spread of the pandemic, most countries have adopted a range of stringent measures including the closure of education institutions, the cancellation of gatherings and sports events, restrictions of social meeting places like restaurants and bars, and a ban on non-essential travel across borders.
The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)’s Secretariat offices are based in Pretoria, South Africa, which now has close to a thousand confirmed cases of the virus. The South African Government has announced a range of measures to fight the spread of the virus. It announced a total lockdown for 21 days, from midnight on Thursday 26 March to midnight on 16 April.
ATAF is committed to ensuring the safety of its staff and members and is doing its part in helping to preventing the spread of this global pandemic. The Secretariat has therefore implemented the following measures
with immediate effect, in line with the World Health Organisation’s recommendations and the State of National Disaster and lockdown declared by the South African President.
- Closure of ATAF’s offices. To prevent the Secretariat staff’s exposure to potential risks of contamination, ATAF’s headquarters located at 333 Grosvenor Street, Hatfield Gardens, Pretoria, South Africa, will be closed with immediate effect, until further notice. No business meetings will take place on these premises, unless expressly cleared by the Crisis Management Task team and authorised by the Executive Secretary.
- Implementation of virtual work. ATAF’s work will however not come to a halt. Secretariat staff will work from home and will use online tools for meeting purposes. All landlines at the ATAF Secretariat offices will remain unavailable throughout this period. Staff members, however, can be reached via email, mobile phones and Skype.
- Suspension of all meetings, workshops and conferences. All ATAF meetings, conferences, workshops and other events scheduled to take place until the end of April are suspended until further notice, with the exception of events which can be held virtually (via video-conferencing or telephonically). In the latter eventuality, participants shall be informed accordingly. A revised workplan will be shared individually with stakeholders.
- Suspension of all business travel. All domestic travel and missions to and from foreign countries, including to and from ATAF member countries, are postponed until further notice for ATAF staff and officials of member tax administrations who are travelling on behalf of ATAF.
For urgent queries, please contact us on the following Emergency Contact details::
Office of the Executive Secretary: +27(0) 82 601 6152 | +27 (0) 66 488 0039
ATAF Secretariat Media & Communications Unit:
+27 (0)79 790 2960
A COVID 19 team has been set up to monitor developments and the above measures will be regularly re-assessed as new developments emerge and further communications will issued accordingly.
ATAF wishes to express its condolences to those who have lost family members, friends and colleagues to this pandemic and assure our members, partners and stakeholders of our solidarity throughout this crisis.
Thank you for your cooperation and your continued support.
Logan Wort
Executive Secretary
The ATAF Model Tax Agreement serves as a guiding instrument to help African nations negotiate treaties that better protect their interests, ensure fair allocation of taxing rights, and enhance domestic revenue mobilisation.
CEMAC and ATAF agreed to explore practical avenues for cooperation, including technical assistance, regional training programmes, and platforms for experience exchange.
A key outcome of the training was the heightened awareness among FIRS officials of the critical role data plays in modern tax administration.
The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of tax officials to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes such as tax evasion, money laundering, and illicit financial flows. It focused on practical approaches to financial crime investigation within the tax context.
Mr. Logan Wort emphasized the critical role of taxpayers in fostering economic growth and sustaining public services.
Taxation is a key aspect to increase gender equality since tax is one of the building blocks of society. In particular, it creates domestic resources which are a major source of funding for economic development and empowerment.
ATAF emphasised the importance of harmonised tax systems and advocating for revenue-generation mechanisms that would sustain government finances while fostering trade liberalisation.
ATAF is gearing up for a highly anticipated event: the ATAF Women in Tax Network Leadership Conference. Set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 5-6, 2025, this conference promises to be a pivotal moment for women in the tax and economic sectors across Africa.
The ATAF Women In Tax Network (AWITN) pledge is a commitment by various countries to adopt a focused, gender-sensitive approach to tax policy and administration.
The workshop aimed to bridge the gap between tax authorities and the media, improving the clarity and accessibility of tax-related information to foster public awareness and boost tax compliance.
