Two billion people live in countries where development outcomes are affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. By 2030, up to two thirds of the world’s extreme poor could live in fragile contexts. Because of the security risks and the weakness of state institutions, providing essential services is particularly challenging in these areas. In such contexts,…
Zakat can add up to big money. Although estimates vary, some suggest that global annual zakat spending is higher than total annual development assistance. A study conducted in 2014 estimated the potential Zakat distributed in Morocco to be at least 40 billion MAD, or 4.1 billion USD – over three times the annual budget of…
From October 19th to 28th, the 23rd Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters (‘the UN Tax Committee’) is taking place. It is the first meeting of the committee’s new membership, at which those members will determine the plan of work for their four-year term. A per usual,…
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, published in August, is the latest clarion call to decarbonise the global economy if the worst excesses of the climate crisis are to be averted. This is especially true in Sub-Saharan Africa, where floods and droughts are expected to have devastating effects. Carbon taxes – levies imposed on the carbon…
The ‘Most Favoured Nation’ principle In international economic relations, the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) principle is the bedrock of non-discriminatory trade policy. The underlying principle is, if a country extends favourable treatment to another country on a particular subject under a given agreement, it must treat other parties to the agreement equally regarding that subject. Along similar lines, the MFN clause in tax treaties…
In June 2021, eight Senegalese tax agents based in the fiscal centre of Pikine, the country’s second largest city, generated over 500 detailed property tax information sheets in just four weeks. The information sheets contained GIS coordinates, cadastral identifiers, property characteristics, rental value, owner identification details and even pictures. These information sheets starkly contrast with…
Across Nigeria, a journey through rural communities and interaction with community members will expose you to the prevalence of self-financed and managed community development projects. The benefits of those projects completed through informal taxation to the people of Nigeria cannot be overemphasised, though many scholars and tax administrators are not aware or pay little attention…
As the G20 Environment Ministers meet today, one of the key issues they need to consider is whether to get serious about fossil fuel subsidy reform. As a report published on June 19 by Bloomberg NEF and Bloomberg Philantropies points out, the G20 countries have provided more than $3.3tn (£2.4tn) in subsidies for fossil fuels…
Property taxes offer a significant potential for developing cities in Africa, which crucially need revenues to fund local public services and sustainable urban planning. In 2014, Senegal adopted its current development plan, “Plan Senegal Émergent”, with the main goal of bringing the country to an emerging economy status by 2035, with the mobilisation of property…
On June 30th to July 1st, the 139 countries that are members of the Inclusive Framework on BEPS will meet online to discuss the “two pillar approach” they have been developing to reform the taxation of multinational business. The recent G7 agreement on reallocating some taxing rights for the “largest and most profitable” multinational companies…
This weekend, the Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers completed a “historic global tax agreement,” a “seismic” and “landmark deal,” that will create an international tax system “fit for the 21st century.” Or so, at least, is the narrative presented by some of the G7 folk (most prominently UK chancellor Rishi Sunak), which has been…
In recent years, the legalisation of cannabis – initially for medical use, and increasingly for recreational use – has become a common policy talking point. But can legalised cannabis production become a new revenue source for low and middle-income countries? Canada and a range of states in the US have made headlines from legalisation initiatives…
