CONCEPT NOTE & AGENDA

PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS (IFFs) AND TAXATION

Theme: IFFs and Taxation and the Post FfD3 Agenda
When: 22 September 2015
Where: Entebbe, Uganda
About the organisers
Tax Justice Network - Africa (TJN-A) is a Pan-African research and advocacy initiative established
in 2007 and a member of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice. It is a network of twenty-nine
members that represent sixteen African countries such as: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda,
Egypt, just to name a few. Through its Nairobi Secretariat, TJN-A collaborates closely with these
member organizations and other civil society partners across Africa and beyond to promote socially
just and progressive taxation systems. TJN-A advocates for pro-poor tax policies and the
strengthening of tax systems to promote domestic resource mobilization.
Southern and Eastern African Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) is a
sub-regional non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1996. SEATINI Uganda is the
coordinating office for the Eastern African sub-region. The purpose of SEATINI is to strengthen the
capacity of key stakeholders i.e media, CSOs, Members of Parliament, farmer groups, trade unions
to take a more effective part in and influence global, regional and national trade and tax related
processes and better manage the process of globalization for sustainable development and
improved livelihoods in Uganda.
Background
Taxation is the most important source of revenue that enables governments to provide the
necessary service delivery required by its citizens. Without adequate resources, rights to basic
social services such as health care and education will remain mere aspirations. Revenue from
taxation is therefore critical for the fulfillment and realization of the economic, social and cultural
rights of citizens. For decades multinational companies (MNCs) and individuals have been
practicing tax avoidance and evasion. The illegal movement of money or capital from one country to
another and is called illicit financial flows (IFFs). With MNCs failing to pay their fair share of taxes,
African governments lose out on the most reliable and sustainable source of financing for economic
development.
The adoption of report the African Union High Level Panel report on Illicit Financial Flows from
Africa (Mbeki Panel) in January, has provided the impetus and momentum for governments to
commit to undertake the necessary domestic policy reforms and support global measures towards
financial transparency. In response to the adoption the High Level Panel (HLP) report on Illicit
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financial flows, TJN-A led six civil society organizations (CSOs) drawn from across Africa in Nairobi
to launched the Stop the Bleeding Campaign in June 2015. The campaign seeks to mobilize citizens
across Africa so that they can demand that their governments implement the recommendations of
the report. It also calls on the international community to undertake measures to tackle illicit
financial flows.
In July 2015 Ethiopia hosted the 3rd International on Financing for Development (FfD3) Conference
in Addis Ababa. The aim for the meeting was to discuss how to pay for the sustainable development
goals. Tax was one of the main outcomes of the FfD3 Conference. The outcome document
recognizes and calls for vigilance on the part of all UN Members so as to address challenges being
faced by the global economy and in human development, with the main aim of delivering on the
sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be agreed in September 2015.
It is building on these past events, that the Pan African Conference and its themed IFFs and
Taxation and the Post FfD3 Agenda. The conference will provide a key platform to reflect, evaluate,
strategize and map a way forward on key issues around IFFs, the Stop the Bleeding Campaign and
the post 2015 development agenda following the FfD3.
Overall aim of the conference:
The one-day conference will provide a platform for key stakeholders from civil society, legislators,
media and national campaigners to take stock of the current state of Illicit Financial Flows on the
continent and progress made in tackling IFFs through global, regional and country level initiatives.
The conference will also share highlights and key points from the July 2015 Third Financing for
Development Conference (FfD3) held in Addis Ababa as well as implications of this on the ongoing
Illicit Financial Flows campaigns on the continent.
Specifically the conference will:
1. Reflect on the tax related results/outcomes of the FfD3 conference and implications for
collective action among African stakeholders
2. Discuss strategies for advocating and monitoring implementation of the HLP
recommendations at country level including the role of legislators and citizens.
3. Introduce and share updates on the Stop the Bleeding Campaign as a tool for mobilising
citizens and relevant stakeholders including law and policy makers.
4. Brainstorm and agree on key areas for collective actions by the various stakeholders
present at the conference.
Expected participants and speakers:
- TJN-A, SEATINI, TJN-A network members and partners from North and South
- African Members of Parliament (MPs)
- International NGOs: IBIS, EURODAD, LATINDAD Oxfam, Action Aid
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United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

Methodology:
A conference will be held on Tuesday the 22nd of September 2015 and will attract various
participants from CSOs, INGOs, government and the media. The conference proceedings will
compose of presentations from invited speakers, panel discussions as well as breakout and
question and answer sessions.
Venue: TBA
Expected Immediate Results
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Mapping of regional and national entry points for rolling out the Stop the Bleeding
Campaign
A clear set of agreed action points for collaboration and joint work among the stakeholders
focusing on the Mbeki HLP report implementation and the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) and Post 2015 process.

TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2015

ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS AND TAXATION
08:30-09:00
09:00-09:30

ENTEBBE, UGANDA
REGISTRATION
OPENING SESSION

ALL

Overview:
SEATINI
Welcome Remarks
TJN-A
Opening Remarks
2015 Theme: Understanding the linkage between taxation and TJN-A
illicit financial flows
Moderator: MEJN
09:30-10:15

SESSION ONE: Presentation and Discussion of the African

Union/UNECA Report of the High Level Panel (HLP) on Illicit
Financial Flows from Africa
Overview:
Introducing the HLP report and its findings
- How much is Africa losing and what is the missed
opportunity?
Recommendations on how to stop IFFs
What can be done to track the implementation of the HLP
Report?

United Nations
Economic
Commission for
Africa (UNECA)

Moderator: Hon. Tshabalala (South Africa)

10:15- 10:45
10:45 -11:30
11:30-12:15

TEA BREAK
Questions and Answers: including plenary discussion on what
can be done to track the implementation of the HLP Report)
SESSION TWO:
Presentation of the Stop the Bleeding Campaign
Overview:
Stop the Bleeding Campaign: What is it, how and why you
should join the movement
The Stop the Bleeding Campaign and the role of Legislators in
addressing IFF from Africa
Forthcoming national and regional processes on StB
Campaign

TJN-A
APNIFFT
Chairperson
AFRODAD/CTPD
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Moderator: FEMNET
12:15-13:00
13:00-14:00

Small group discussions: How can the Stop the Bleeding campaign
be relevant to your country contexts?
LUNCH

14:00-14:30

Small group feedback in the plenary

Moderator: Trust Africa

14:30-15:30

SESSION THREE: Discussion of the Third UN Financing for

Development Conference (FfD3) held in Addis Ababa and the FfD3
Outcomes relevant to Taxation and IFFs;
Overview:
The FfD3 conference: Background, Key highlights from
EURODAD
Addis and lessons for next steps.
Panel Discussion: Experience sharing and discussions on UNECA
FfD3 process and the outcome
LATINDAD
- Reflections about the gains, losses and opportunities
TWN-A
Plenary Discussion and Q & A
(Identifying international opportunities and for a for joint
advocacy)

15:30 16:00

16:00 -16:30
16:30-17:15
17:15

Moderator: TJN-A
TEA BREAK
Conclusions and Way Forward
Moderator: TJN-A
CLOSE

TJN-A
SEATINI