By Joseph Balikuddembe
John Musinguzi, the URA Commissioner General yesterday shared with the delegates at the ATAF annual meeting on the importance of transparency as a deterrent to illicit financial flows (IFF).
His discussion hinged on the use of open data in tax administration, bridging illicit financial flow gaps and information sharing among others.
He shared the steps Uganda has taken in fighting IFF over the years, including the enactment of a robust international legal framework (AMTAM, MAAC) in 2016 and the enactment of the AEOI domestic legal framework among others.
The annual ATAF meeting is currently underway in South Africa and it has attracted Commissioners General from over 40 countries and over 20 development partners.
Edward Kieswetter, the Commissioner General of the South African Revenue Service called upon tax practitioners to collect every dollar that is due, facilitate legitimate trade and work hard to erode the vice of illicit trade.
He encouraged tax administrations to work on their mandate of tax collection with integrity and a clear game plan that is simple enough for all team players to know and follow.
This year’s meeting is being held under the theme “Africa Rising: Sustainable Growth through Revenue Mobilization” and will continue for a few more days.
On its sidelines are technical committee meetings on the Exchange of Information, Cross-Border Taxation, Domestic Taxes and Tax Administration where Uganda is represented. The meeting witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ATAF and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Technical Assistance.
