By GPC News Desk
The Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators (CATA) has commended the East African Community (EAC) for advances in digital revenue administration, customs cooperation and trade facilitation.
The commendation was made during a courtesy visit by commissioners and heads of tax administrations from CATA member states to the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, on Thursday.
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The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 46th CATA Annual Heads Meeting and Technical Conference, which is taking place in Tanzania from October 5 to 9 under the theme, “Leveraging Technology for Efficient Revenue Collection.”
EAC Secretary General Stephen Patrick Mbundi said stronger cooperation among regional economic communities and tax administrations was increasingly important as trade, investment and digital transactions crossed national borders.
“Regional integration and effective revenue administration are mutually reinforcing,” Mbundi said.
He said tax and customs authorities needed to collaborate, share information and use technology to improve compliance, facilitate trade and safeguard revenue.
Mbundi highlighted the EAC’s digital transformation initiatives, including interoperable systems supporting customs cooperation, trade facilitation and the movement of goods across the region.
He said the Single Customs Territory (SCT) had helped simplify customs procedures while reducing the cost and time of doing business in the region.
The EAC also cited EACBond and the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) as key digital platforms that have strengthened cargo monitoring, improved transparency and enhanced revenue assurance while facilitating cross-border trade.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for the EAC to share its experience with tax administrators from Commonwealth countries on using technology to modernise revenue administration.
Participants discussed the growing role of digital solutions, data analytics and artificial intelligence in improving tax administration, strengthening compliance, combating tax evasion and supporting evidence-based decision-making.
The EAC and CATA also explored areas for future cooperation, including digital tax administration, cross-border information exchange, transfer pricing, taxation of the digital economy and efforts to combat illicit financial flows.
Other areas identified included institutional capacity development and stronger coordination among tax, customs and trade agencies.
The meeting reaffirmed the importance of technology-driven cooperation in strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation, facilitating legitimate trade and supporting regional economic development.
The 46th CATA Annual Heads Meeting and Technical Conference brings together tax commissioners, policymakers, revenue experts and development partners from across the Commonwealth to discuss approaches to strengthening revenue administration in an increasingly digital economy.
