Date

Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA) is leading a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, from May 22nd to May 24th to facilitate the comprehensive review of frameworks and enhancement of the anti-illicit financial flows policy tracker. The policy tracker, developed by TJNA, draws upon the recommendations of various reports that have extensively documented procedures required to combat IFFs, including the High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa (commonly known as the Mbeki Panel report) and recent reports like the High-Level Panel on International Financial Accountability and Transparency (FACTI Panel).

The meeting’s main agenda will involve refining the tracking tool and the methodology for the tracker. The team will undertake several tasks, including re-clustering the proposed areas, developing indicators for each new cluster, scrutinizing and providing recommendations for the scoring criteria, and proposing a robust methodology for piloting and implementing the Anti-IFFs policy tracker.

In February 2023, TJNA initiated a comprehensive review of the draft methodology and tool for the Anti-IFFs policy tracker. A diverse range of participants, including experts from civil society organizations (CSOs), regional and multilateral entities such as the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as well as individual researchers and experts, were brought together to lend their expertise to this endeavor. The meeting resulted in valuable revisions to the tool, including critical areas and refining clustering and indicators under each cluster.

After refining the tracker and methodology, TJNA will organize a consultation meeting in June 2023 to share the refined tool and give feedback.

By closely monitoring the implementation of national-level policies, the Anti-IFFs policy tracker will play a pivotal role in curbing the flow of illicit funds, ensuring that African nations can harness their resources for sustainable development and inclusive growth.

TJNA remains resolute in its mission to combat IFFs and foster transparency. The outcomes of this meeting are expected to shape effective strategies and policies that will pave the way for a brighter future for Africa's economies.

For further information about the policy tracker, interested parties are encouraged to contact Francis Kairu at fkairu(@)taxjusticeafrica.net

Photo courtesy: Neil Thomas/Getty Images