Worklines

The Addis Tax Initiative (ATI) aims to promote fair and effective domestic revenue mobilisation (DRM), policy coherence and the social contract through partnerships and knowledge building. As a multi-stakeholder partnership, the ATI plays an essential role in fostering collective action to improve tax systems in light of recognised gaps in development finance. Emerging from the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa in July 2015, the ATI has significantly contributed to the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and is firmly anchored within the Financing for Development process.

By endorsing the ATI Declaration 2025, the ATI brings together partner countries, development partners and supporting organisations that are united by the vision of tax systems that work for people and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By focusing on the needs of partner countries, the ATI provides a unique opportunity for its members to collaborate on issues related to DRM on an equal footing, engage in peer-learning, and exchange experiences and good practices. The ATI plays a coordinating role between its members to increase volume and quality of technical assistance and broad-based capacity building in partner countries.

The primary governance bodies of the ATI are the ATI General Assembly, the ATI Steering Committee and the ATI Secretariat. The ATI Steering Committee is elected by the ATI member countries and consists of six members, three representing development partners and three representing partner countries. In its role as ATI Secretariat, the ITC is responsible for all operational activities of the ATI and supports the implementation of the ATI work plan. More information on the ATI and its governance arrangements can be found here.

The Network of Tax Organisations (NTO) is a network of nine regional and international organisations of revenue administrations that aims to develop and promote effective tax systems as a means to contribute to the well-being of all people. The NTO was officially launched in May 2018 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by six regional organisations of tax administrations. Since then, three other regional organisations have joined.

The NTO’s main objective is to act as a global platform for exchange of experiences, knowledge and best practices on tax administration matters. The NTO focuses on fostering the capacity development of its members, enhancing internal collaboration among its members and ensuring representation of NTO members’ interests in the various international fora. 

The governance structure of the NTO consists of the NTO Assembly, the NTO Council and the Secretariat of the NTO. All NTO signatories compose the NTO Assembly. The NTO Assembly elects the NTO Council, which in turn serves as the executive arm of the network. In its role as NTO Secretariat, the ITC supports the implementation of the NTO work plan. More information about the NTO and its governance arrangements can be found here.

The DRM Innovation Fund is a multi-donor financing facility that aims to enhance domestic revenue mobilisation. It functions on a demand driven basis, where prospective recipients participate in an application process for innovative projects which aim to tackle challenges related to revenue mobilisation. In the international community’s efforts to support domestic revenue mobilisation in developing countries, greater emphasis needs to be placed on the piloting of innovative ideas in finding solutions to tackle the persistent challenges of revenue mobilisation. In this context, many African countries would benefit from support in bolstering their efforts to mobilise adequate revenue to fund the provision of government services and to strengthen development.

The DRM Innovation Fund seeks to provide support for the piloting of short-term innovative projects in selected African countries. And aims to add value by pursuing innovative projects that have a direct impact on the performance of public administrations in revenue mobilisation. The Fund is financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by the GIZ and facilitated by the International Tax Compact (ITC).

The DRM Innovation Fund Secretariat is responsible or the Fund's operation work, which includes amongst others, the implementation of work activities, the provision of advice and support to the Fund's various projects and reporting to the Governing Committee. 

More information about the DRM Innovation Fund can be found here.

The ATI/ITC Tax and Development Conference takes place every two to three years and brings together a vast range of stakeholders cooperating with the ITC and working in the area of DRM, most notably in the context of the ATI. The conference provides a neutral setting for broad-based discussions on topics related to tax and development, setting the focus on the needs and priorities of partner countries. In particular, participants have the opportunity to learn about issues faced by partner countries, development partners and relevant organisations, to benefit from the sharing of experiences, and to identify opportunities for collaboration and synergies in this field. Participants include representatives from partner countries, development partners, international organisations, private sector, civil society organisations and academia.

The conference is jointly organised by the ATI and the ITC, with financial support from the BMZ. The first edition of the ATI/ITC Tax and Development Conference took place from 14 to 16 June 2017. The second edition took place from 2 to 4 July 2019 in Berlin, Germany. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the third edition will likely take place in 2022. More information about the conference can be found here.

The ITC is always open to exchange with other stakeholders that are engaged in the tax and development arena, to see explore and utilise existing synergies and foster collaborations with the specific initiatives. This includes stakeholders form civil society organisations (CSO), academia and the private sector.