Monrovia, Liberia – The biggest assembly of tax administrators, specialists, and interested parties in Africa has formally started in Kigali, Rwanda. In order to improve tax governance and revenue mobilization throughout the continent, Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) is actively participating in the meetings.
In an effort to highlight the significance of the meeting, CG Jallah said, “This meeting offers a valuable opportunity to network with continental peers, share experiences, and leverage insights that can enhance LRA’s performance in revenue collection.”
From December 2–6, 2024, the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) is hosting the event in the Kigali Convention Centre under the sponsorship of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF). There are more than five hundred people coming from all around the continent. On Tuesday, December 3, the official opening ceremony was held.
This year’s conference subject, “Preparing for the Future: Revenue Administration in a Dynamic Global Landscape,” emphasizes how important domestic revenue mobilization (DRM) is to promoting sustainable development and economic independence throughout Africa. Attendees will discuss important tax-related topics and consider creative approaches to enhancing revenue collection throughout the continent at one of ATAF’s most important gatherings.
ATAF’s Council, Technical Committees, the African Women in Tax Network, and donor groups met behind closed doors on the first day of the event. various meetings examined methods to increase ATAF’s involvement in various initiatives while assessing advancements, recognizing obstacles, and bolstering initiatives to improve DRM in Africa.
CG Jallah said, “This has been an interesting and meaningful discussion—not just a rubber-stamp process,” in light of the ATAF Governing Council meeting. The workshop was fruitful, and we had insightful discussions on the organization’s general governance.
Recognizing that external donors provide more than 80% of ATAF’s financing, CG Jallah also went to a donor meeting. The purpose of the conference was to better understand these donors’ goals, strengthen ATAF’s links with them, and match their interests with those of Africa. The Commissioner General was hopeful that these interactions would result in increased cooperation and backing for Africa’s income targets.
CG Jallah noted, “This is a worthwhile experience, not a waste of time.” Liberia has benefited immensely from ATAF as a subscriber, especially in areas like networking opportunities, information sharing, and technical support for capacity building.
CG Jallahorganized a side meeting with the Commissioner General of the Rwanda Revenue Authority as part of his attempts to optimize relationships. Discussions was center on utilizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that currently exists between Rwanda and Liberia, especially Rwanda’s tax technology innovations.
CG Jallah stated, “The objective is to expand South-South cooperation by utilizing Rwanda’s expertise and technologies, which are among the best in the region.” The goal of this partnership is to hasten Liberia’s adoption of cutting-edge approaches to enhance revenue collection and tax management.
These interactions serve as a reminder of Liberia’s dedication to strengthening regional cooperation, forging closer alliances, and increasing its ability to reach national revenue goals.
For tax stakeholders from all across the continent, the ATAF Annual Meetings provide an essential forum for stimulating conversations, training aimed at enhancing capacity, and seminars. The program tackle some of the most important issues in tax governance, with an emphasis on revenue administration in a changing global setting. The meetings highlighted how important DRM is to advancing sustainable development and economic independence in Africa.
Participants examined creative approaches to problems including taxing wealthy people, interacting with the unorganized sector, and utilizing new technologies like data analytics and artificial intelligence to increase the effectiveness of tax collection. Panels with international stakeholders, finance ministers, and tax specialists offered a dynamic forum for cooperation and discussion focused on finding solutions.
Business executives, academics committed to improving tax governance throughout the continent, and representatives from the African Union, World Bank, and IMF are among those in attendance.
The Annual Meetings of ATAF symbolize a dedication to cooperation, creativity, and responsibility. The Kigali summit is positioned to reinterpret tax systems as engines of economic growth, mitigating inequality, and ensuring a sustainable future for Africa, given the continent’s growing development finance demands.
