What you need to know about ATAF’s Annual Meetings

PRETORIA – The countdown to Africa’s biggest taxation event of the year has officially begun!

The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) is preparing for its Annual Meetings - hosted by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) - with the theme, Africa Rising: Sustainable Growth Through Revenue Mobilisation. The Annual Meetings take place from 31 October to 2 November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Annual Meetings are a must-attend event for anyone involved in tax in Africa, offering a unique platform for tax stakeholders, officials, and experts to engage in simultaneous meetings, seminars, and capacity-building workshops, all anchored by insightful plenary sessions.

Under the theme, members will delve into the intricate workings of domestic revenue mobilisation and its role as a pillar of economic independence and sustainable development. We examine how effectively harnessing taxation, natural resources, and other indigenous revenue sources can provide more stable and predictable funding for public expenditure, social development, and infrastructure investment.

Simultaneously, the intricate issue of illicit financial flows, the illegal or immoral movements of money or capital from one country to another, the extent of their damage to African economies will be tackled.

HOW WILL THE THEME BE DISSECTED?

• STRENGTHENING DOMESTIC REVENUE MOBILISATION:

This stream will highlight successful case studies from across the continent that can serve as roadmaps for replication and adaptation.

• ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS - UNDERSTANDING AND CURBING IFFS:

Delving into the underlying mechanics of illicit financial flows in Africa, exposing their routes and the legal loopholes that are used, this stream will discuss effective strategies for mitigation, fostering transparency, enhancing legal frameworks, and promoting international cooperation.

• INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND CAPACITY BUILDING:

This stream will examine the role of strong, transparent, and accountable institutions in driving domestic revenue mobilisation and combating illicit financial flows. 

• PROMOTING INTEGRITY IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION:

Environmental taxation precedes every country’s fiscal agenda. While some countries are proficient in applying environmental taxes, others struggle to grasp exactly what they represent. Therefore, it is an opportune time to discuss environmental policy design, especially when environmental taxes and carbon pricing have been proposed as key policy approaches for raising revenue.

STRUCTURE OF MEETINGS

The annual meetings will have various events taking place simultaneously, anchored by the plenary session. Participants can look forward to the following events, which form part of the annual meetings.

• Seminar Series on Technology, Women in Tax and Global Tax Rules

• African Tax Outlook (ATO) Workshop

• Development Partners Meetings

• ATAF Council Meetings

• Technical Committee meetings

• African Tax Research Network (ATRN) Board Meeting Exhibitions

KEY SPEAKERS

Speakers include a range of tax thought leaders from across the globe including:

• Mr Logan Wort, Executive Secretary – African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)

• Mr Phillippe Tchodie, Chairman – African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)

• Ms Fabrizia Lapecorella - Deputy Secretary-General; OECD

• Hon Agok Makur Kur – Deputy Minister: Finance and Planning; South Sudan 

• Sam Shivute – Commissioner; Namibia Revenue Authority (NamRA)

Don’t miss the biggest taxation event of the year, register by clicking here.