The Executive Secretary of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), Mary Baine, has visited The Gambia as part of her official duties.
During her visit, she met with the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) leadership, including Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe, to discuss collaboration and review ongoing reforms.
The meeting aimed to enhance collaboration, particularly in capacity building and audit competencies, and explore future support under ATAF’s 2025-2030 strategic plan.
The GRA leadership shared key reform priorities, including digital reforms and international taxation, where ATAF’s support is crucial.
The visit highlights The Gambia’s long-standing commitment to ATAF, as the country prepares to host the ATAF 2026 Master Class.
The ATAF Executive Secretary expressed her appreciation for The Gambia’s commitment to ATAF and emphasised the importance of strengthening tax systems in Africa.
Executive Secretary Mary Baine was impressed with The Gambia’s hospitality and the GRA’s commitment to tax reform. She said she was pleased to see women in top management positions, and praised Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe’s leadership.
The visit aims to strengthen partnerships and discuss domestic revenue mobilisation crucial to Africa’s development.
According to her, ATAF’s support has trained 12,000 tax officers and helped collect $2.8 billion in revenue.
GRA’s Deputy Commissioner General Essa Jallow says The Gambia is a key player in ATAF since its inception, adding that the country’s commitment to tax reform is inspiring.
ATAF’s support has been instrumental in building GRA’s capacity, from training staff on data analytics to transfer pricing, he noted, saying The Gambia’s leadership in ATAF is a testament to the country’s dedication to driving Africa’s development agenda.
In his remarks, GRA’s Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe said that over the years, his office has remained firmly committed to the objectives and programs of the ATAF.
The services on the ATAF Council further reflect their dedication and belief in the visions of ATAF to build a strong, moral, and efficient tax administration across Africa, he said, adding: “ATAF has played a pivotal role in enhancing tax administration performance throughout the continent.”
According CG Darboe, “the training programs ATAF offers are practical, relevant, and tailored to the real challenges our revenue authorities face on a daily basis.”
He said further: “Our staff have benefited immensely from numerous ATAF training initiatives, including programs in data, analytics, tax audits, VAT fraud, tax investigation, research method, etc. These are all areas that the Gambia Revenue Authority has benefited from – training, capacity building from ATAF.”
Essentially, he said, these capacity building efforts have had a direct and immeasurable impact on GRA’s domestic revenue mobilization drive and have strengthened compliance performance. “We are achieving approved results and meeting our targets, thanks in large part to the technical knowledge and skills gained through ATAF support,” CG Darboe appreciated.
