A tripartite conference on domestic resource mobilization took place this week in Cape Town, South Africa, where participants are sharing experiences in taxation and the role it plays in the economic growth and development of Korea.

The 4-7 April conference was organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), and Korea on the themes: Domestic Resource Mobilization: Challenges to African Tax Policy and Administration.

The main objectives of ATAF are to:

• Become the central platform for African tax administrators;
• Articulate African tax priorities;
• Develop and share best practices in the region; and
• Build capacity in African tax policy and administration.

In his remarks at the opening of the conference, AfDB sector operations Vice President, Kamal El Kheshen, said that mobilization of domestic resources was the foundation for self-sustaining development. Domestic resources play the main role in financing gross domestic investment, social programs and provide greater predictability in budget management.

Speaking on the Bank’s program to support member countries in becoming fiscally independent, Mr. Elkheshen indicated that the Bank was committed to scaling up its support to domestic resource mobilization for effective development financing and poverty reduction through increased focus of the bank’s institutional support projects and policy-based lending towards a fiscal self-reliant Africa.

He also spoke of the Bank’s intention to become an associate member of ATAF. He further mentioned the Bank’s strong track record, especially in the past three years in supporting policy improvements, strengthening institutions and building capacity for better taxation. “About 35% of the Bank’s governance programs now include components supporting tax reform and tax capacity,” Mr. El Kheshen said.

The ATAF-AfDB cooperation is based on, among other things, the latter’s mandate by the G8 countries to increase its support to taxation and domestic resource mobilisation in Africa. In line with its cooperation with ATAF, the AfDB co-hosted the 2008 Founding Conference, the 2009 Inaugural Meeting, and, most recently, the 2nd ATAF Council Meeting in Tunis in November 2010.