2015 | Pan Africa Conference [Concept note & Agenda]

7/17/2019 2015 | Pan Africa Conference [Concept note & Agenda]

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CONCEPT NOTE & AGENDA

PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS (IFFs) AND TAXATION

Theme: “IFFs and Taxation and the Post FfD3 Agenda”

When: 22 September 2015

Where: Entebbe, Uganda

About the organisers

Tax Justice Network - Africa (TJN-A) is a Pan-African research and advocacy initiative established

in 2007 and a member of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice. It is a network of twenty-nine

members that represent sixteen African countries such as: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda,Egypt, just to name a few. Through its Nairobi Secretariat, TJN-A collaborates closely with these

member organizations and other civil society partners across Africa and beyond to promote socially

just and progressive taxation systems. TJN-A advocates for pro-poor tax policies and the

strengthening of tax systems to promote domestic resource mobilization.

Southern and Eastern African Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) is a

sub-regional non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1996. SEATINI Uganda is the

coordinating office for the Eastern African sub-region. The purpose of SEATINI is to strengthen the

capacity of key stakeholders’ i.e media, CSOs, Members of Parliament, farmer groups, trade unions

to take a more effective part in and influence global, regional and national trade and tax related

processes and better manage the process of globalization for sustainable development and

improved livelihoods in Uganda.

Background

Taxation is the most important source of revenue that enables governments to provide the

necessary service delivery required by its citizens. Without adequate resources, rights to basic

social services such as health care and education will remain mere aspirations. Revenue from

taxation is therefore critical for the fulfillment and realization of the economic, social and cultural

rights of citizens. For decades multinational companies (MNCs) and individuals have been

practicing tax avoidance and evasion. The illegal movement of money or capital from one country to

another and is called illicit financial flows (IFFs). With MNCs failing to pay their fair share of taxes,

African governments lose out on the most reliable and sustainable source of financing for economic

development.

The adoption of report the African Union High Level Panel report on Illicit Financial Flows from

Africa (Mbeki Panel) in January, has provided the impetus and momentum for governments to

commit to undertake the necessary domestic policy reforms and support global measures towards

financial transparency. In response to the adoption the High Level Panel (HLP) report on Illicit



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financial flows, TJN-A led six civil society organizations (CSOs) drawn from across Africa in Nairobi

to launched the ‘Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign in June 2015. The campaign seeks to mobilize citizens

across Africa so that they can demand that their governments implement the recommendations of

the report. It also calls on the international community to undertake measures to tackle illicit

financial flows.

In July 2015 Ethiopia hosted the 3rd International on Financing for Development (FfD3) Conference

in Addis Ababa. The aim for the meeting was to discuss how to pay for the sustainable development

goals. Tax was one of the main outcomes of the FfD3 Conference. The outcome document

recognizes and calls for vigilance on the part of all UN Members so as to address challenges being

faced by the global economy and in human development, with the main aim of delivering on the

sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be agreed in September 2015.

It is building on these past events, that the Pan African Conference and its themed “IFFs and

Taxation and the Post FfD3 Agenda.” The conference will provide a key platform to reflect, evaluate,

strategize and map a way forward on key issues around IFFs, the ‘Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign and

the post 2015 development agenda following the FfD3.

Overall aim of the conference:

The one-day conference will provide a platform for key stakeholders from civil society, legislators,

media and national campaigners to take stock of the current state of Illicit Financial Flows on the

continent and progress made in tackling IFFs through global, regional and country level initiatives.

The conference will also share highlights and key points from the July 2015 Third Financing for

Development Conference (FfD3) held in Addis Ababa as well as implications of this on the ongoing

Illicit Financial Flows campaigns on the continent.

Specifically the conference will:

1.

Reflect on the tax related results/outcomes of the FfD3 conference and implications for

collective action among African stakeholders

2.

Discuss strategies for advocating and monitoring implementation of the HLP

recommendations at country level including the role of legislators and citizens.

3.

Introduce and share updates on the ‘Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign as a tool for mobilising

citizens and relevant stakeholders including law and policy makers.

4.

Brainstorm and agree on key areas for collective actions by the various stakeholders

present at the conference.

Expected participants and speakers:

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TJN-A, SEATINI, TJN-A network members and partners from North and South

- African Members of Parliament (MPs)

-

International NGOs: IBIS, EURODAD, LATINDAD Oxfam, Action Aid



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-

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

Methodology:

A conference will be held on Tuesday the 22nd of September 2015 and will attract various

participants from CSOs, INGOs, government and the media. The conference proceedings will

compose of presentations from invited speakers, panel discussions as well as breakout and

question and answer sessions.

Venue: TBA

Expected Immediate Results

-

Mapping of regional and national entry points for rolling out the ‘Stop the Bleeding’

Campaign

-

A clear set of agreed action points for collaboration and joint work among the stakeholders

focusing on the Mbeki HLP report implementation and the Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs) and Post 2015 process.



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TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2015

ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS AND TAXATION

ENTEBBE, UGANDA

08:30-09:00 REGISTRATION ALL

09:00-09:30 OPENING SESSION

Overview:

Welcome Remarks

Opening Remarks

2015 Theme: Understanding the linkage between taxation and

illicit financial flows

Moderator: MEJN

SEATINI

TJN-A

TJN-A

09:30-10:15 SESSION ONE: Presentation and Discussion of the African

Union/UNECA Report of the High Level Panel (HLP) on Illicit

Financial Flows from Africa

Overview:

Introducing the HLP report and its findings

- How much is Africa losing and what is the missed

opportunity? Recommendations on how to stop IFFs

What can be done to track the implementation of the HLP

Report?

Moderator: Hon. Tshabalala (South Africa)

United Nations

Economic

Commission for

Africa (UNECA)

10:15- 10:45 TEA BREAK

10:45 -11:30 Questions and Answers: including plenary discussion on what

can be done to track the implementation of the HLP Report)

11:30-12:15 SESSION TWO:

Presentation of the ‘ Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign

Overview:

‘Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign: What is it, how and why you

should join the movement

The ‘Stop the Bleeding’ Campaign and the role of Legislators in

addressing IFF from Africa

Forthcoming national and regional processes on StB

Campaign

TJN-A

APNIFFT

Chairperson

AFRODAD/CTPD



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12:15-13:00

Moderator: FEMNET

Small group discussions: How can the ‘Stop the Bleeding’ campaignbe relevant to your country contexts?

13:00-14:00 LUNCH

14:00-14:30

14:30-15:30

15:30 – 16:00

Small group feedback in the plenary

Moderator: Trust Africa

SESSION THREE: Discussion of the Third UN Financing for

Development Conference (FfD3) held in Addis Ababa and the FfD3

Outcomes relevant to Taxation and IFFs;

Overview:

The FfD3 conference: Background, Key highlights from

Addis and lessons for next steps.

Panel Discussion: Experience sharing and discussions on

FfD3 process and the outcome

- Reflections about the gains, losses and opportunities

Plenary Discussion and Q & A

(Identifying international opportunities and for a for joint

advocacy)

Moderator: TJN-A

EURODAD

UNECA

LATINDAD

TWN-A

16:00 -16:30 TEA BREAK

16:30-17:15 Conclusions and Way Forward

Moderator: TJN-A

TJN-A

17:15 CLOSE SEATINI

Documents

2015 | Pan Africa Conference [Concept note & Agenda]