11 September, 2024
WATAF Convenes Annual High Level Policy Dialogue Meeting in Guinea Bissau.
The West African Tax Administration Forum’s (WATAF) annual High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) serves as a crucial platform to address and find solutions to the diverse challenges faced by West African Revenue Authorities. The sixth edition of the HLPD is set to uphold its reputation, featuring esteemed experts and participants from various sectors and ECOWAS Member Tax Administrations, including the ECOWAS Commission, Ministries of Finance, Parliamentarians, Tax Administration officials, Academia, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Development Partners, Donor Agencies, Financial Institutions, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), Corporate Organizations, and other key stakeholders. These participants will share insightful perspectives on the theme, "Improving Tax Systems to Promote Economic Growth and Social Development in Africa," from September 11-13, 2024, in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
The opening ceremony, presided over by Madam Janise Nunez from the Ministry of Finance of Guinea-Bissau, commenced at 11 a.m. She was joined at the high table by Mr. Yankuba Darboe, Chairman of WATAF, the Director General of the Guinea-Bissau Tax Administration, and Mr. Babatunde Oladapo, Executive Secretary of WATAF.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Babatunde Oladapo urged participants to adopt an inward-looking approach to enhance tax administrations’ ability to mobilize sufficient domestic resources to support government development programs. He stressed the importance of knowledge management and workforce retention as crucial factors in realizing the full potential of revenue administrations. He also emphasized the need for ethical practices and accountability in revenue collection.
Mr. Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Administration who also doubles as the Chairman of WATAF, expressed his gratitude to the diverse attendees and the host country for organizing such a well-attended event. He deemed the theme, "Improving Tax Systems to Promote Economic Growth in Africa," both timely and relevant. Mr. Darboe underscored the vital role of taxation in promoting economic growth, social equality, and providing necessary services. He highlighted that the main challenge lies in inadequate capacity, particularly in the area of digitization. He called for investments in digital infrastructure to close gaps, prevent revenue leakages, and enhance collection efficiency, which in turn would enable governments to fulfill their mandates and advance economic independence across Africa.
The Director General of the Guinea-Bissau Tax Administration, Mr. Ufe Vieira Da Silva, expressed his deep appreciation to WATAF for selecting Guinea-Bissau as the venue for this significant dialogue. He encouraged participants to enjoy their stay and highlighted that the country is celebrating the centenary of Pan-Africanist leader Amílcar Cabral, whose vision of economic liberation aligns with WATAF’s objectives. Mr. Viera also discussed Guinea-Bissau's ongoing efforts to digitize its tax system and urged participants to build strong networks for sharing best practices across the region. He praised the diversity of participants, including tax collectors, civil society organizations, NGOs, and international partners, whose collective efforts could reshape the future of tax administrations in the region.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Hon. Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Madam Janise Nunes expressed her honor at being part of the event. She emphasized that the dialogue provides a unique opportunity to harmonize tax systems and foster inclusion. She called for a united front in the fight against poverty and urged governments to increase investment in taxto-GDP ratios. Furthermore, she encouraged tax administrations to attract investors as a means to boost tax revenues, while also advocating for improvements in taxpayer services and working conditions for tax officials.
At this stage, Madam Janise Nunes declared the 6th Policy Dialogue meeting officially opened.