UN-HABITAT gives Somaliland tax collector a big boost. A Geographic Information System (GIS) established in Hargeisa Municipality with technical assistance from UN-HABITAT has helped to increase annual property tax revenues by 248 percent, from USD169,062 in 2005 to USD588,754 in 2008. New technology and innovative thinking delivers real change in tax collection in Africa. I
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allAfrica.com: Liberia: Capital Flight – Millions Out, Less in (Page 1 of 1). The reality of illicit financial flows documented in Liberia in 2008. And make no pretence about it: tax havens play a part in this process of denying developing countries the funds they need to finance their domestic economies.

Yesterday’s call on this blog to neuter the world’s tax havens has transferred to the Guardian today. As Larry Elliot says: Robert Zoellick, the World Bank’s president, made a contribution to this debate yesterday when he called for the anachronistic G7 to be expanded to include seven leading developing countries. That would be sensible, as
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The Tax Justice Network for Africa issued this press release today: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2008 Lusaka, Zambia Africa has lost $607 billion (US). Equitable taxation not aid will end the looting of Africa: Tax Justice Network for Africa Africa‘s revolving door Capital flight from Africa is devastating development at an alarming rate. It
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The TJN blog has a great article by Nick Shaxson on the need for France to transform its relationship with Africa. As he says: Once again the latest chapter in one of the biggest, and most fascinating, stories about Africa’s international relations has been almost entirely neglected by the English-speaking media. The French Secretary of
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Forbes has reported that President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia has announced the cancellation of all tax concessions for copper mining companies operating in Zambia, saying they were ‘unfair and unbalanced’ and that in their place ‘The government has, therefore, decided to introduce a new fiscal and regulatory regime in order to bring about equitable distribution
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More from the OECD tax conference in South Africa: The OECD’s Deputy Secretary General, Pierre Carlo Padoan, says capital flight to tax havens is harming the continent’s development. He says while Africa is beginning to fulfil its economic potential, better tax revenues are needed to finance the infrastructure and the skills needed for a vibrant
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Trevor Manuel, South Africa’s Finance Minister, is one of the rock stars of his profession. His keynote speech to the the world’s tax experts at the latest OECD forum on Tax Administration in beautiful Cape Town are right on the money. Quoted in South Africa’s Business Day, he said: Smaller, poorer countries with tax administrations
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