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Mr Pasi

Business Reporter
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Commissioner General Mr Gershem Pasi is the new chair of the council of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), an umbrella body for revenue administrations in Africa.He was elected during the third general assembly of the regional tax body held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania from September 15-19.
Prior to his appointment the ZIMRA Commissioner General, who was one of the founding members of ATAF, was the chairperson of its organisational development committee. He takes over from the acting commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Mr Ivan Pillay.

In his acceptance speech Mr Pasi said: “I feel humbled to have been given the responsibility of chairing the ATAF Council. This is a demonstration of the faith, trust and confidence that you have in me.

“I wish to give the assurance that I will endeavour to serve ATAF to the best of my ability. ATAF was created to meet the need of African tax administrations to work together to realise common objectives in the area of taxation.

“Our success therefore is anchored in our unity. Indeed there is strength in our diversity.”

Mr Pasi will be deputised by commissioner general Mme Seynabou Niang Thiam of Senegal. The general-assembly was hosted by the Tanzania Revenue Authority and was attended by 29 African states as well as international organisations and academics.

It discussed leadership and management strategies for African tax administrations in the new global tax environment, taking into cognisance the modern finance and information technology systems which have changed the way transactions are recorded and reported by tax authorities.

These developments were said to present new demands in the way tax administrations collect tax and audit taxpayers.

Other issues that were discussed include the management of compliance and risk, the use of social media as a communication tool and the use of data analysis as a tool for compliance.

The ATAF was launched by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala in November 2009 and its membership comprises 38 tax administrations across the African continent – including Togo, which joined the forum at the end of the third general assembly.

It provides a platform for African revenue authorities to articulate African tax priorities, develop and shape best practices and build capacity in tax policy and administration.