The ATAF Executive Secretary, Ms Mary Baine, together with the Senior Specialist for Member Engagement and External Relations, Mr Romeo Nkoullou Ella, visited the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) in Banjul as part of ATAF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen engagement with its member administrations.
Welcoming the delegation, GRA Commissioner General Mr Yankuba Darboe highlighted the practical impact of the collaboration between ATAF and the Authority. “ATAF’s programmes are practical, relevant and tailored to the real challenges our revenue officers face every day. Our staff have benefited immensely from the training and technical assistance provided.” He noted that ATAF’s capacity building and technical support have strengthened GRA’s compliance performance and contributed to significant improvements in domestic revenue mobilisation.
Reflecting on the partnership, Ms Baine emphasised the importance of the relationship between ATAF and The Gambia. “The Gambia Revenue Authority is a longstanding and valued member of the African Tax Administration Forum. Under the leadership of Commissioner General Darboe, it has demonstrated strong commitment to a truth that ATAF holds dear: that domestic resource mobilisation is the key to national development across Africa. The partnership between our two institutions is precisely about advancing that truth in a practical and sustainable manner.”
During the visit, discussions focused on strengthening ongoing cooperation between ATAF and the GRA by reviewing the technical assistance currently being delivered to The Gambia and exploring future areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening tax administration systems and domestic revenue mobilisation. Over the past decade, The Gambia has increased its annual revenue collection from approximately D6 billion to over D25 billion, reflecting significant progress in strengthening its tax administration and compliance systems.
The dialogue also addressed ATAF’s broader continental agenda to support member countries in strengthening tax systems through digital transformation, sound tax policy, and coordinated action to address Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs). Discussions further highlighted the importance of African countries engaging collectively in global tax policy discussions to ensure their perspectives are effectively represented.
As part of the engagement, Commissioner General Yankuba Darboe agreed to serve as one of ATAF’s champions, helping to amplify Africa’s voice on tax matters and strengthen coordinated continental positions in key regional and global policy processes, including the ongoing negotiations toward a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
The engagement reinforced ATAF’s close working relationship with The Gambia and comes ahead of the country hosting the 2026 ATAF Heads of Tax Administrations Master Class, a flagship platform that will bring together Commissioners General and Directors General of ATAF member tax administrations to exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation across the continent.