UNDP To Host Confab On Public Tax, Fiscal Transparency

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says it will soon host a high level meeting in Abuja, with experts on public tax and fiscal transparency rules for multinationals and private individuals in Africa. The UNDP said this in a statement issued by Lucky Musonda, UNDP Nigeria Communications Specialist last Tuesday in Abuja.
Musonda said that tax experts, representatives of the African Union (AU), Supreme Audit Institutions, Regional Economic Communities, Sub-regional monetary organisations, and select national governments would be expected to attend the meeting.
According to him, Nigerian Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to participate at the meeting.
“For Africa to be able to finance its own development and meet its obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and AU Agenda 2063, a new framework is needed.
“A new framework to address these systemic vulnerabilities in our regional and national oversight of financial systems has become imperative,” the statement quoted the UNDP Anti-Corruption Advisor, Njoya Tikum as saying.
Musonda, however, said that the meeting, offering lessons from the Panama papers would examine the state of play of the present continental public tax transparency and fiscal disclosure rules for multinationals and private individuals.
The official said it would also examine the challenges and opportunities of such a continental system and make recommendations on how Africa could develop its own framework.
He further said a policy brief with clear recommendations and roadmap for a new continental framework for public tax transparency and fiscal disclosure rules for multinationals and private individuals would be submitted to the AU member states.
In addition, he said a policy brief would be submitted to the AU member states as consideration for adoption and as an addendum to the present AU’s Convention on Combating and Preventing Corruption.
The meeting, slated for July 27 and 28 will be hosted by the UNDP Regional Service Centre in partnership with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
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