UN-WATAF Roundtable on the Role of Parliamentarians in Domestic Revenue Mobilisation in the Post-COVID Era

The Gambia: 7 – 8 November 2022

The identification and engagement of key stakeholders is paramount to the success of any organisation. In carrying out its activities over the years, the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) has always noted that lawmakers as key stakeholders, play a significant role in ensuring that tax administrations’ policy proposals are implemented.

Recognising this fact, WATAF made a concerted effort to engage legislators in the ECOWAS region in one of the plenary sessions on developing global tax issues and the difficulties of mobilising domestic revenue for development in West Africa. The larger goal is to hold similar roundtable discussions with the lawmakers of the 15 WATAF Member States on a country-by-country basis.

In order to carry out this strategy, on November 7 and 8, 2022, in Banjul, The Gambia, the United Nations and the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF) will host a roundtable discussion to introduce members of Parliament to The Gambia’s tax administration and policy as well as the practice of revenue mobilisation. Members of the Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Select Committee on Trade and Regional Integration, and Finance and Public Accounts Committee of the Gambia National Assembly, as well as any other interested parties, will be present.

The roundtable will cover the following topics, among others:

1.         Sound tax policies as the foundation of an effective and efficient tax system and tax policy challenges and their impact on legislative processes.

2.         Comparative review of selected WATAF member countries’ tax incentive regimes viz-a-viz Gambia’s regime.

3.         Contemporary issues in international taxation, including the policy and practical aspects of taxation in an increasingly digitalised and globalised world.

4.         How to address tax base erosion and profit shifting in West African countries (including break-out sessions).

5.         Understanding the key implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on the tax base of the Gambia and the role of parliamentarians in domesticating the Continental Agreement.

After the event, it is hoped that the members of parliament and the management of the Gambia Revenue Authority will work together better to put tax rules into place, which will lead to more revenue coming into the country.

Refer to the attached concept note for more details about the event.