African policymakers, tax experts meet in Lusaka to tackle illicit financial flows

African policymakers and tax experts have convened in Zambia to develop coordinated strategies to curb Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), which cost the continent an estimated US$80–90 billion annually and undermine domestic resource mobilisation.

Speaking at the opening of the fourth Sub-Committee on Tax and IFFs conference in Lusaka on Monday, Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said no single country could combat IFFs alone and called for collective regional action.

The event, hosted at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, is jointly convened by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), African Union Commission, African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), Tax Justice Network Africa, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

In remarks delivered on his behalf by Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa, Musokotwane said Zambia had faced aggressive tax avoidance and opaque asset ownership but is making progress through reforms.

“Zambia supports the development of the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. Recent reforms, including digital tax systems, beneficial ownership disclosures, and stronger enforcement, are yielding results,” he said.

Zambia’s tax-to-GDP ratio has risen from 14.1 percent in 2013 to 16.1 percent in 2022, with a target of reaching 21.3 percent by 2025 and 22.2 percent by 2026.

ZRA Commissioner-General, Dingani Banda, stressed the need for practical strategies to combat IFFs and strengthen Africa’s voice in global tax governance.

“This gathering is pivotal for advancing Agenda 2063. Tax and fiscal policy are essential for domestic resource mobilisation, resilience, and sustainable development,” Banda said.

African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Moses Vilakati, added that Africa must strengthen its resource mobilisation systems to reduce reliance on dwindling external aid.

“Goal 20 of Agenda 2063 calls on Africa to finance its own development. Domestic Resource Mobilisation is our last hope in achieving this goal,” he said.

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