Nigeria to push for global tax resolution at UNGA

Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad-Bande yesterday said the country will continue to champion global tax cooperation discourse at the 78th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) which begins today.

The Nigerian delegation had during the 77th Session presented a resolution entitled: “Promotion of Inclusive and effective International Tax Cooperation at the United Nations’’.

The resolution laid the foundation for the creation of a new system of international tax cooperation that is universal in scope and approach.

Member states agreed for the first time to have a convention on tax cooperation and to discuss global tax issues and review progress yearly.

The motion, submitted for consideration by Nigeria on behalf of 54-member African Group of States, was adopted by consensus after some discussions on a failed amendment.

Muhammad-Bande told reporters in New York, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the resolution was important in the context of financing for development, noting that the element of taxation was connected to illicit flows.

He said: “All the conversations are continuing; the resolution on taxation itself, we are just at the beginning of the process, now that it has been mandated that something be done.

“What will happen now is to sit down and see what can be done to ensure that such a convention or treaty is arrived at.

That will be a lot of negotiations; countries, blocs, coalitions, but by and large, globally, it is understood that it is important to have a binding document relating to taxation that looks at the interest of all parts of the world at the same time.”

Muhammad-Bande added: “So, this is important. Nigeria will continue to champion its course, not only on Africa, but also developing countries. Again, Nigeria is not just talking about this. We are part of a global community.

We want justice and operations of countries in the context of the Charter of the United Nations, which we are all members.”

Apart from the resolution, the envoy said African states did well by bringing issues that were important to them alongside developing countries at the 77th Session of the General Assembly

He said the Assembly is not just about developing or developed countries, adding: “It is about humanity as issues on human rights, climate change and post COVID-19 recovery have always been on the table for discussion.”

Muhammad-Bande said it has been difficult for countries, especially in the South, to recover from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The envoy said that it was difficult to recover faster from COVID-19 because of indebtedness of some countries, which had made it difficult for them to finance development.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tomorrow present Nigeria’s statement on the first day of the General Assembly.

He will speak at 11pm Nigeria time as the 11th head of states to address the meeting.

After the welcoming address by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Brazilian President Lula Inacio will be the first President to speak, United States President Joe Biden will then address the Assembly. The U.S. President as leader of the country hosting the UN Secretariat, traditionally is number two to speak.