The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) has convened African tax officials and practitioners in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, for a three-day conference aimed at strengthening international tax cooperation, tackling illicit financial flows and boosting domestic revenue mobilisation.
The 2026 Continental Exchange of Information (EOI) Conference and Workshop, hosted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), runs from October 14 to 16. It was officially opened by Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa.
The meeting comes as African countries increasingly recognise the importance of accessing taxpayer information held beyond their borders to improve tax compliance, identify concealed assets and recover revenue owed to governments.
Since 2009, African tax administrations have identified more than €4.6 billion in additional revenue through exchange of information, cross-border audits and investigations supported by information exchange, and voluntary disclosure programmes. The amount includes €417 million recorded in 2025 alone.
Despite these gains, the benefits remain concentrated in a relatively small number of countries, with many tax administrations continuing to face challenges involving legal frameworks, technical capacity and the effective use of exchanged information.
ATAF Head of International and Cross-Border Taxation Antony Munanda said the conference provides an opportunity to help more African countries turn international tax cooperation into tangible revenue gains.
“Exchange of Information is an essential instrument for protecting Africa's tax base and strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation. We have seen the results it can deliver, but too many of our members are yet to fully benefit,” Mr Munanda said.
He said the meeting would focus on strengthening political commitment, developing practical capabilities and equipping tax administrations with the tools and expertise needed to use information held beyond their borders effectively.
Acting ZIMRA Commissioner General Misheck Govha said hosting the continental gathering offered Zimbabwe an opportunity to support regional cooperation and the sharing of practical solutions to common tax administration challenges.
“Zimbabwe is pleased to host this important continental engagement, which brings African tax administrations together to share experiences and identify practical solutions to common challenges,” Mr Govha said.
He added that as economic activities increasingly crossed national borders, tax administrations needed to strengthen cooperation and information exchange to protect public revenue and support national development priorities.
In his opening remarks, Mr Mnangagwa underscored the importance of international tax cooperation in helping African countries mobilise domestic resources and strengthen their capacity to finance development.
He said the cross-border movement of income, assets and business transactions required governments to work together to address tax-related challenges.
“International tax cooperation must therefore form part of our national financing strategies. Exchange of information helps establish the facts needed to address concealed taxable income and assets, investigate tax-related illicit financial flows and enforce domestic tax laws,” Mr Mnangagwa said.
The conference opens with high-level discussions on Africa’s tax transparency agenda, political leadership and the implementation of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI).
The subsequent sessions will focus on practical aspects of information exchange, including making effective requests for information, using exchanged data in tax audits, conducting simultaneous tax examinations, accessing beneficial ownership information and participating in international peer review processes.
Beyond the conference, ATAF is pursuing initiatives to strengthen international tax cooperation across the continent. These include the ATAF Agreement on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters (AMATM), which provides a framework for cooperation among African tax administrations, as well as technical assistance, capacity-building programmes and practical tools to support the effective implementation and use of exchange-of-information mechanisms.
Participants will also examine an African-led AEOI information technology solution developed jointly by ATAF and the Zambia Revenue Authority, with support from the World Bank. The initiative highlights the potential of locally developed technological solutions to strengthen cross-border tax cooperation.
Building on the inaugural conference held in 2024, the 2026 gathering forms part of ATAF’s broader efforts to strengthen African ownership of the exchange-of-information agenda and enable more member countries to convert international cooperation into increased domestic revenue.