The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes was founded in 2000 and restructured in September 2009. It consists of OECD member countries as well as other jurisdictions that have agreed to implement tax related transparency and information exchange
A plenary meeting was held in Berlin in October 2014 where the African members of the Global Forum discussed the high levels of illicit financial flows and the potential of tax transparency and exchange of information to raise resources for development of the African countries.
The Africa initiative was launched as a partnership between Global Forum, its African members and a number of regional and international organizations such as African Tax Administration Forum, World Bank Group, France (Ministry of Europe & Foreign Affairs) just to mention a few.
The partnership was initially to run for a period of 3 years (2015-2017) but it was renewed for a second phase (2018-2020) at the Global Forum plenary meeting held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. A new 3 year mandate and a new governance was agreed upon during the Initiative’s 8th meeting in October 2020 for the period 2021-2023.
The Africa Initiative is currently chaired by Mr Githii Mburu, MGH, CBS Commissioner General, KRA. The Vice-Chair is Mr Edward Kieswetter, Commissioner, South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The initiative currently has 33 members and is open to all African countries. There are 15 partners and donors who support the initiative.
