Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
Zimbabwe is actively harnessing international tax cooperation to safeguard its revenue base and finance national development, with five ongoing cross-border transfer-pricing cases potentially yielding approximately US$38 million in assessments, it has emerged.
The revelation was made at the 2026 Continental Exchange of Information (EOI) Conference and Workshop, hosted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in Victoria Falls yesterday.
Addressing delegates, Deputy Minister of Finance David Mnangagwa said the cases demonstrate the tangible benefits of international cooperation in establishing facts and resolving complex cross-border tax matters.
“Five ongoing transfer-pricing cases involving information requests carry potential assessments of approximately US$38 million, subject to completion of the cases and final determination. These are potential assessments, not revenue already collected,” he said.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that the significance lies in the contribution international cooperation can make to establishing facts and resolving complex cross-border tax matters, reinforcing the importance of connecting information exchange with audit capability, sound legal processes and the collection of taxes ultimately determined to be due.
Held under the theme: “Exchange of Information Beyond Compliance: EOI as a Tool for Domestic Resource Mobilisation, Combating Illicit Financial Flows and Promoting Fair Taxation,” the workshop has brought together delegates from across the African continent, including representatives from the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), the Global Forum for Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, and various revenue authorities.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said for Zimbabwe, the tax transparency agenda is closely connected to Vision 2030, as protecting the tax base strengthens the country’s capacity to finance infrastructure, public services and economic transformation.
“Tax transparency is essential to mobilising the domestic resources needed to finance sustainable
development,” he said.
The Deputy Minister also said Zimbabwe’s participation in the Multilateral Convention on Mutual
Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters provides a basis for broader cooperation, with the priority being to translate this engagement into effective domestic implementation.
He underscored the importance of fairness in taxation, saying citizens and businesses need confidence that tax obligations are applied consistently, including where income and assets are held abroad.
“When cross-border concealment goes undetected, compliant taxpayers carry an unequal burden and responsible businesses face unfair competition. Exchange of information helps address that imbalance while preserving certainty for legitimate economic activity,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said confidentiality, due process and consistent administration are fundamental to this effort, protecting taxpayers and sustaining the trust on which international cooperation depends.
“Crossing a border should neither remove a legitimate tax obligation nor weaken a taxpayer’s legal protections,” he added.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa also called for sustained investment in specialist skills, secure
technology, reliable beneficial ownership information and effective domestic coordination, noting that information obtained internationally must support compliance decisions that can withstand legal scrutiny.
“Our responsibility as ministers is to ensure that the law enables cooperation, institutions can use the information effectively and implementation produces demonstrable results,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa encouraged ATAF, working with the Global Forum and development partners, to support country-led implementation roadmaps with clear milestones, coordinated assistance and measures of results.
“African ownership also requires an effective voice in shaping international priorities, including the accessibility, timeliness and practical usefulness of exchanged information. Africa must participate as a policy partner, with its development priorities reflected in the global tax transparency agenda,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Deputy Minister said Zimbabwe must prepare for the next generation of tax transparency, including Automatic Exchange of Information under the Common Reporting Standard, which offers an opportunity to improve visibility over offshore financial accounts.
He also highlighted the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework as a basis for considering future arrangements, informed by national circumstances and implementation capacity.
“For Zimbabwe, we remain committed to protecting the tax base, advancing fair taxation and deepening international cooperation. Across Africa, our collective ambition should be revenue lawfully collected, greater taxpayer confidence and more sustainable domestic financing,” he said.
“When tax cooperation protects revenue and strengthens fairness, it becomes an instrument of development. Its ultimate measure is the contribution it makes to the lives and opportunities of our people.”
