ATAF ELECTS TOGO’S PHILIPPE TCHODIE AS NEW CHAIRMAN

The General Assembly Meeting of ATAF elected Philippe TCHODIE as the new Chairman of the continental organisation at its 6th General Assembly.

The ATAF Council is elected for a two-year term to provide strategic guidance and leadership for the fulfilment of the organisation’s vision and objectives.

The new Council to preside over the destiny of the organisation is composed of Togo (Chair), South Africa (Vice-Chair), Burundi, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, The Gambia, Uganda and Zambia.In his acceptance speech address, Mr TCHODIE stated that the election of a Francophone Chair for the first time in the history of ATAF is testimony of the organisation’s Pan-African spirit.

Togo has sat in several of ATAF Councils including the incumbent one, but this will be the first time it occupies its highest seat. Mr TCHODIE expressed his gratitude to all the Members for the trust placed on Togo and himself.

He pledged to use the opportunity of Togo’s Presidency to further expand ATAF in Francophone countries, pursue reforms within the Secretariat to ensure greater regional representation and consolidate the progress so far made in the financial sustainability of the organisation. Amongst other key decisions made during the General Assembly were the adoption of the new ATAF Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 and the Organisation’s Financial Sustainability Project report, taking an already prosperous ATAF to even greater heights.

They noted critical times ahead with the on-going debate on the taxation of the digital economy and the devastating blow dealt by COVID-19 on Africa’s economies and the need for ATAF to enhance its technical assistance towards domestic resource mobilization The ATAF General Assembly further renewed the ATAF Executive Secretary’s tenure for an additional four-year term, as a prudent move towards ensuring stability within the organisation as it tackles the challenges related to the on-going reforms of the international tax system and impact of COVID-19 on revenue mobilisation. The meeting was held virtually and was attended by 36 out of the 39 ATAF Members. About ATAF:The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) is an organisation which was established by African revenue authorities in 2009, in order to improve the performance of tax administrations in Africa. ATAF believes that better tax administration will enhance economic growth, increase accountability of the state to its citizens, and more effectively mobilise domestic resources. Now in its eleventh year of operation and headquartered in Pretoria, ATAF seeks to Improve the capacity of African tax administrations to achieve their revenue objectives, advance the role of taxation in African governance and state building, provide a voice for African tax administrations and develop and support partnerships between African countries and development partners.