By Dismas Nuwaine
The Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda, Kelvin Colgan, has reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to supporting the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in building institutional resilience, advancing innovation, and boosting domestic revenue generation; a cornerstone for Uganda’s economic self-sufficiency.
During a courtesy visit to URA headquarters yesterday, Ambassador Colgan, accompanied by a delegation from the Irish Embassy, highlighted the strategic nature of Ireland’s partnership with URA. The collaboration focuses on sharing expertise, improving tax administration systems, and leveraging technology to enhance efficiency.
“We remain committed to supporting African tax institutions like URA to build strong and sustainable revenue systems that will benefit generations to come, regardless of global financial changes,” he said.
John R. Musinguzi, the Commissioner General of the taxman, welcomed the ambassador’s gesture, saying it reflects the value of strong partnerships. He emphasized URA’s readiness to deepen collaboration with dedicated development partners for shared progress.
“No man is an island. These cross-country engagements, especially with nations that have advanced systems, give us the chance to learn and grow. They will help us build a strong, modern tax administration that can stand the test of time,” he said.
The discussions also explored opportunities for further cooperation in digital transformation, trade facilitation, and compliance strategies, all of which align with URA’s mission of mobilizing revenue in an efficient manner.
Musinguzi thanked the Irish Tax and Customs for its continued support, especially in staff capacity development. He said the partnership has enabled knowledge sharing in key areas like technology, data analytics, and risk management that are pivotal in taking the taxman ahead.
He also highlighted that staff capacity development is much more critical now since the taxman is gearing up to recruit over hundreds of new staff.
“Many people are willing to work but lack the skills needed for today’s workplace. This is a national call to build a deep reservoir of knowledge that can serve the country for generations,” Musinguzi added.
Colgan also praised URA’s efforts in tax education, saying that increasing awareness is vital to building a culture of tax compliance where everyone understands and fulfils their civic duty.
He further applauded the Commissioner General’s commitment to innovation, especially in automating tax systems to boost efficiency and improve the experience for taxpayers.
