IPNews-Monrovia: The Africa Initiative of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, has ended its Tax Transparency in Africa 2020 report in a live event held yesterday in Paris, France.

The report, a joint publication with the African Union Commission and the African Tax Administration Forum, updates for the year 2019 the inaugural report published a year earlier.

The African Development Bank is a partner of the Tax Transparency in Africa report.

The report, which covers 32 members of the Africa Initiative as well as three non-members, finds that Africa has made significant strides in the fight against tax evasion and illicit financial flows, but will need to do more to support domestic revenue mobilization.

The live launch event which was held in a form of a webinar presentation, saw report and expert inputs from partner organizations, followed by a 10-15-minute Question and Answer session. Simultaneous interpretation in English and French was also available.

Participants included: Head of the Global Forum Secretariat Zayda Manatta; Director, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD, Pascal Saint-Amans; Victor Harrison, African Union Commission Commissioner for Economic Affairs; the African Tax Administration’s Executive Secretary Logan Wort; and the African Development Bank’s Director, Governance and Public Financial Management Abdoulaye Coulibaly.

The Africa Initiative, launched in 2014, has two cornerstones: raising political awareness and commitment; and developing capacities in tax transparency and exchange of information (EOI).

The Global Forum has a self-standing dedicated secretariat based in the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, in Paris, France.

The African Development Bank is an observer to the Global Forum since 2014. It also participates in the Africa Initiative. The two institutions have collaborated on subjects of joint interest, including generation of knowledge on tax transparency and technical assistance provision to African countries.