peter
Business Reporter
THE recent 6th Africa Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) general assembly has adopted a new Strategic Plan spanning 2021 to 2025 and elected a new council chaired by Togo’s Philippe Tchodie.
The ATAF council is elected for a two-year term to provide strategic guidance and leadership for the fulfilment of the continental organisation’s vision and objectives.
The new council is composed of Togo (chair), South Africa (vice-chair), Burundi, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, Gambia, Uganda and Zambia.
Amongst key decisions made during Wednesday’s virtual general assembly were the adoption of the organisation’s financial sustainability project report, taking an already prosperous ATAF to even greater heights. A total of 36 out of the 39 ATAF members attended the meeting.
They also noted critical times ahead with the on-going debate on the taxation of the digital economy and the devastating blow dealt by Covid-19 on Africa’s economies and the need for ATAF to enhance its technical assistance towards domestic resource mobilization. The general assembly further renewed ATAF executive secretary Mr Logan Wort’s tenure for an additional four-year term citing the need to ensure stability within the organisation as it tackles the challenges related to the on-going reforms of the international tax system and impact of Covid-19 on revenue mobilisation.
In his acceptance speech Mr Tchodie said the election of a Francophone chair for the first time in the history of ATAF was testimony of the organisation’s Pan-African spirit. Togo has sat in several of ATAF councils including the incumbent one, but this will be the first time it occupies its highest seat.
He pledged to use the opportunity to further expand ATAF in Francophone countries, pursue reforms within the secretariat to ensure greater regional representation and consolidate the progress so far made in the financial sustainability of the organisation.
Zimbabwe is a member of ATAF, which was established by African revenue authorities in 2009 in order to improve the performance of tax administrations in the continent. ATAF believes that better tax administration will enhance economic growth, increase accountability of the state to its citizens, and more effectively mobilise domestic resources.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter