Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA) will participate in a series of high-level engagements at the Joint 9th Session of the African Union (AU) Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the 5th Session of the Specialised Technical Committee on Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, taking place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire from 20 to 24 July 2026.
Bringing together policymakers, tax administrators, regional institutions, development partners and civil society organisations, the engagements will advance dialogue on domestic resource mobilisation, illicit financial flows (IFFs) and action to strengthen Africa's fiscal sovereignty and sustainable development.
Advancing the Continental Roll-out of the Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker
As part of the official AU STC programme, TJNA, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), will convene a high-level side event under the theme: "From Pilot to Continental Roll-out: Advancing National-Level Implementation of the Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker."
The session will showcase the Anti-Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) Policy Tracker, a self-assessment tool jointly developed by TJNA, the AUC and ATAF to help countries assess the strength of their legal, institutional and policy frameworks for combating tax-related illicit financial flows.
Africa continues to lose an estimated US$88.6 billion annually to illicit financial flows, significantly undermining domestic resource mobilisation and limiting the continent's ability to finance its development priorities.
The Policy Tracker was officially adopted by the AU Specialised Technical Committee and has since become an important mechanism for supporting Member States to strengthen national anti-IFFs frameworks through regular assessments and peer learning.
The side event will reflect on lessons from the pilot phase implemented in Namibia, Uganda, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia and Zambia, highlight country reform progress, and present recommendations for scaling up implementation across the continent.
Participants will also discuss strategies for strengthening political ownership and accelerating the continental rollout of the Policy Tracker.
Strengthening Parliamentary Leadership through APNIFFT
Complementing these engagements, TJNA will facilitate a capacity-building programme for members of the African Parliamentary Network on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation (APNIFFT) before officially launching the Côte d'Ivoire National Caucus of APNIFFT on 25 July 2026 at the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire.
Established in 2015 and coordinated by TJNA, APNIFFT brings together parliamentarians from across Africa to promote stronger tax systems, combat illicit financial flows and champion policies that support equitable and sustainable development.
The launch of the Ivorian Caucus marks an important milestone in strengthening parliamentary oversight and leadership on tax justice. It also recognises Côte d'Ivoire's growing contribution to continental tax reforms, including its participation in the pilot implementation of the Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker and its active engagement in negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
During the training programme, parliamentarians will strengthen their understanding of tax-related illicit financial flows, double taxation agreements, domestic resource mobilisation and parliamentary advocacy. The sessions will also initiate discussions on developing a national parliamentary advocacy strategy to support legislative reforms that strengthen tax governance and combat illicit financial flows.
Strengthening Africa's Voice on Tax Justice
The AU STC engagements provide an important platform to showcase Africa-led solutions to illicit financial flows while reinforcing collaboration between governments, regional institutions, parliamentarians and civil society.
Through its participation in the AU STC meetings, the Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker side event, technical discussions on taxation, illicit financial flows, and Domestic Resource Mobilisation for Industrialisation, parliamentary training, and the launch of the APNIFFT Côte d'Ivoire National Caucus, TJNA continues to advance evidence-based policy solutions that strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, promote equitable international tax cooperation, and support Africa's long-term development aspirations.
These engagements reaffirm TJNA's commitment to working alongside African institutions and stakeholders to build fair, transparent and accountable tax systems that enable the continent to finance its own development and achieve greater fiscal sovereignty.
For more information, please contact Everlyn Muendo via emuendo[@]taxjusticeafrica.net or Aya Douabou at adouabou[@]taxjusticeafrica.net.
