Professor Mick Moore, founding CEO of the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD), has been appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year 2021 Honours List.
The honour recognises Professor Moore’s services to international development, a field he has been active in for over forty years as a Fellow of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), based in Brighton. As a political economist, his work has focused on understanding the dimensions of good and bad governance in lower-income countries, and he has conducted extensive field research in Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and India.
In the late 1990s, he developed a growing interest in taxation as a process foundational to statebuilding and social contracts between citizens and governments.
In 2010, he joined with Professors Odd-Helge Fjeldstad and Wilson Prichard to found the ICTD. Mick oversaw its expansion from a team of five to over 30 during his 10-year tenure as CEO. Based at IDS, the ICTD is a leading global policy research centre that aims to improve the effectiveness, equity and accountability of tax policy and administration in lower-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor Moore has written and published extensively, including co-authoring the book Taxing Africa: Coercion, Reform, and Development, which was selected by Foreign Affairs as one of the best books on Africa for 2019.
He has also carried out significant policy engagement, including advisory work in many countries in Africa and Asia, including recent work on revenue issues in Meghalaya State (India), Papua New Guinea, Somaliland, and Sri Lanka.
In response to his appointment, Professor Moore said:
“This honour is a testimony to IDS, the institution that has cultivated my career and my fantastic colleagues at the ICTD, as well as our esteemed partners who have been vital to the success of our work. I’m deeply grateful for their support and commitment to engaging in research to guide better policies and practices for financing sustainable development.”
Professor Melissa Leach, Director, Institute of Development Studies said:
“This is a hugely well-deserved honour for Mick, who is a tremendous asset to IDS and a truly valued colleague. His pioneering work in the field of taxation and development has helped establish ICTD as an internationally recognised centre of expertise, working with partners to improve tax systems and promote equitable economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa.”