Africa is entering a decisive period in its development trajectory. Rising debt burdens, shrinking fiscal space, intensifying geopolitical competition, climate-related shocks, and persistent illicit financial flows are collectively undermining the continent's development prospects and reshaping the continent's policy choices.
At the same time, the changing global economic order presents new opportunities for Africa to redefine its place within international economic governance. Indeed, as global economic governance evolves, African countries have an opportunity to build more resilient, diversified and inclusive economies founded on domestic resource mobilisation, regional integration and greater economic sovereignty.
This plenary explores taxation not simply as a mechanism for raising revenue, but as one of the central instruments for structural transformation. Well-designed tax systems can support industrialisation, encourage productive investment, reduce inequality, strengthen democratic accountability, improve state legitimacy and finance the public investments necessary for long-term development.
The session will invite participants to consider what a genuinely transformative tax agenda for Africa should look like, and how governments, civil society, busines