New Addis Tax Initiative: Developing countries must have an equal say in the updating of global tax rules

On today's FFD announcement of the Addis Tax Initiative, Claire Godfrey, Oxfam’s Senior Policy Advisor said:

“Oxfam welcomes the Addis Tax Initiative and its ambition to help developing countries strengthen their tax administrations. Tax revenue provides vital finance for governments to reduce poverty and inequality.

“Less than 1% of global aid has to date been dedicated to support governments’ ability to raise more from domestic resource mobilization (DRM).

“This Initiative needs to accelerate donor government commitments to improve progressive national taxation, and bolster country efforts to tackle tax dodging practices.

“It should not divert energy from the drive to create an inclusive intergovernmental process on tax cooperation. Developing countries must have an equal say in the updating of global tax rules that have held them back in filling their public coffers.

“For example, the same countries that initiated the Addis Tax Initiative need to support the creation of a new intergovernmental tax body under the UN in the final outcome document from FFD3 negotiations this week.

“We call on all countries, including those announcing the Addis Tax Initiative, to walk the extra mile needed to ensure that developing countries will be able to increase their tax revenues and build fairer tax systems at national and global levels.“