One of the key highlights of the "Expose the Flow: Working Together to Curb Illicit Financial Flows in Sub-Saharan Africa" project is the pioneering investigative work by Ephrahim Bahemu, a journalist with Mwananchi Communications Ltd. His article, Uneven Playing Field: How Tax Rates Drive Tanzania’s Gold Smuggling, delves into the profound impact of tax policies on the illegal gold trade in Tanzania.

Dodoma, Tanzania – October 08, 2024

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Tanzania are trained on how Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) erode national budgets, as part of the Expose the Flow: Working Together to Curb IFFs in Sub-Saharan Africa project. Funded by NORAD through the Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF), the training equips CSOs with the skills and knowledge needed to combat IFFs and advocate for stronger financial governance.

Policy Forum held the March 2024 Breakfast Debate in collaboration with Stanbic Bank Biashara Incubator, which focused on shedding light on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and identifying key loopholes that the government must address to effectively combat this issue. The discussions delved into various facets of IFFs, highlighting their detrimental impact on the economy and the urgent need for concerted efforts to curb them.

Policy Forum conducted a two-day training session in Dodoma, Tanzania, which aimed at bolstering the understanding and capacity of civil society organizations, faith actors, academia, and parliamentarians on taxation issues.

This was done in collaboration with Norwegian Church Aid / Kirkens Nødhjelp and Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), with focus on building resilient tax systems capable of navigating economic fluctuations and adapting to shifts in government priorities.

The policy debate revolved around the complaints of petty traders, such as the establishment of business stalls by the council and government officials, which benefit the owners of these establishments. It also focused on

Tanzania has a wealth of natural, cultural and man-made attractions in all parts of the country which are untapped from the standpoint of tourism development. Although the potential is there, not all areas can be developed in the foreseeable future because of the problems of inadequate access, poor infrastructure and lack of utilities.

Stakeholders have called upon the government to resort to the creation of agro-processing businesses and rural  agro -based  industries as a means of increasing revenues and reducing import bills through value addition. This call was made during the Policy Forum breakfast debate held on 27th January 2017, Dar es Salaam

On the 25th of June, 2015, Policy Forum participated in the public launch of the “Stop The Bleeding” Campaign in Nairobi aimed at curbing Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) from Africa.

An Interim Working Group (IWG) of the African IFF Campaign Platform made up of six Pan-African organisations namely Tax Justice Network-Africa (TJN-A), Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Af), Africa Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) and Trust Africa supported and joined by the Global Alliance for Tax Justice (GATJ) will launch a unified African Campaign platform on IFFs.