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| Against a backdrop of recession in Europe, news stories exposing multi-national corporations for tax avoidance in developing countries and G8 meetings to address global issues, there have been widespread calls for international tax reform. | Against a backdrop of recession in Europe, news stories exposing multi-national corporations for tax avoidance in developing countries and G8 meetings to address global issues, there have been widespread calls for international tax reform. |
| According to Oxfam, tax evasion costs African countries $38b per year. Efforts of the multi-NGO 'If' campaign to lobby governments to act on tax evasion helped encourage the G8 to agree a tax deal in June. But despite blling it as "the biggest bilateral trade agreement in history", David Cameron was criticised for failing to persuade other leaders to make any new binding committments. | According to Oxfam, tax evasion costs African countries $38b per year. Efforts of the multi-NGO 'If' campaign to lobby governments to act on tax evasion helped encourage the G8 to agree a tax deal in June. But despite blling it as "the biggest bilateral trade agreement in history", David Cameron was criticised for failing to persuade other leaders to make any new binding committments. |
| But discussions around global tax systems and their impacts on development go beyond slamming tax-dodging corporations. Policymakers, NGOs (pdf) and academics are all focusing on how developing country governments themselves can collect more tax from their citizens. | But discussions around global tax systems and their impacts on development go beyond slamming tax-dodging corporations. Policymakers, NGOs (pdf) and academics are all focusing on how developing country governments themselves can collect more tax from their citizens. |
| Taxes can help promote economic growth, reduce inequalities, help tackle climate change and fund delivery of development targets. Tax-GDP ratios in developing countries show scope for more taxes to be collected, which would then be used to finance public services. | Taxes can help promote economic growth, reduce inequalities, help tackle climate change and fund delivery of development targets. Tax-GDP ratios in developing countries show scope for more taxes to be collected, which would then be used to finance public services. |
| The challenge for developing country governments is to create tax systems that are effective and fair, but many lack the capacity to do so on their own. Tax collection is particularly difficult in areas where taxpayer morale is low (pdf) and corruption is entrenched, or where many work in 'hard to tax' (pdf) sectors like small businesses or farms. | The challenge for developing country governments is to create tax systems that are effective and fair, but many lack the capacity to do so on their own. Tax collection is particularly difficult in areas where taxpayer morale is low (pdf) and corruption is entrenched, or where many work in 'hard to tax' (pdf) sectors like small businesses or farms. |
| So how can tax revenue loss in developing countries be reduced? How can governments be supported to collect tax fairly? And finally, how do you minimise corruption - in both public and private sectors - and build a culture where taxes facilitate civic engagement? | So how can tax revenue loss in developing countries be reduced? How can governments be supported to collect tax fairly? And finally, how do you minimise corruption - in both public and private sectors - and build a culture where taxes facilitate civic engagement? |
| Join our panel to discuss these questions and more in our live discussion on Thursday, 19th September, from 1-3pm BST. | Join our panel to discuss these questions and more in our live discussion on Thursday, 19th September, from 1-3pm BST. |
| Panel | Panel |
| David Anthony Kloeden, deputy division chief, IMF, Washington, US. David has 20 years experience in the delivery and management of revenue administration and technical assistance internationally, with a heavy focus on Anglophone African countries in recent years. Mick Moore, CEO, International Centre for Tax and Development, Brighton, UK. Mick is a political scientist, professorial fellow at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and CEO of the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD). | David Anthony Kloeden, deputy division chief, IMF, Washington, US. David has 20 years experience in the delivery and management of revenue administration and technical assistance internationally, with a heavy focus on Anglophone African countries in recent years. Mick Moore, CEO, International Centre for Tax and Development, Brighton, UK. Mick is a political scientist, professorial fellow at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and CEO of the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD). |
| Paul Davies, head of revenue team, Adam Smith International, London, UK. @AdamSmithInt Paul is responsible for all Adam Smith International's revenue reform work around the world. He has provided and managed multi-million, multi-year, multi-disciplinary technical assistance for a wide range of governments and donors in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. | Paul Davies, head of revenue team, Adam Smith International, London, UK. @AdamSmithInt Paul is responsible for all Adam Smith International's revenue reform work around the world. He has provided and managed multi-million, multi-year, multi-disciplinary technical assistance for a wide range of governments and donors in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. |
| Dereje Alemayehu, chair of board of directors, Tax Justice Network - Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. @DerejAlemayehu Before joining the Tax Justice Network, Dereje worked with Christian Aid on its programmes in East Africa. Prior to that he was an independent development consultant. | Dereje Alemayehu, chair of board of directors, Tax Justice Network - Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. @DerejAlemayehu Before joining the Tax Justice Network, Dereje worked with Christian Aid on its programmes in East Africa. Prior to that he was an independent development consultant. |
| Kieran Holmes, commissioner, Office Burundais des Recettes, Bujumbura, Burundi. @kieran_holmes Kieran Holmes is a tax administration adviser who has worked in international development arena for almost 30 years. Previous posts have taken him to Lesotho and Swaziland and in 2003 he worked in Rwanda as adviser to the commissioner general of the Rwanda Revenue Authority. | Kieran Holmes, commissioner, Office Burundais des Recettes, Bujumbura, Burundi. @kieran_holmes Kieran Holmes is a tax administration adviser who has worked in international development arena for almost 30 years. Previous posts have taken him to Lesotho and Swaziland and in 2003 he worked in Rwanda as adviser to the commissioner general of the Rwanda Revenue Authority. |
| Alex Cobham, research fellow, Center for Global Development, London, UK. @alexcobham Alex's research focuses on illicit financial flows, effective taxation for development, and inequality. He joined CGD in Europe in March 2013 from Save the Children UK, where he was head of research. | Alex Cobham, research fellow, Center for Global Development, London, UK. @alexcobham Alex's research focuses on illicit financial flows, effective taxation for development, and inequality. He joined CGD in Europe in March 2013 from Save the Children UK, where he was head of research. |
| The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive | The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive |
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