Ethiopia has taken a significant step towards joining the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), following years of engagement between ATAF and the country’s Ministry of Revenues.
A meeting held in Addis Ababa on 7 September 2026 advanced discussions on Ethiopia’s accession, building on the country’s formal expression of interest in becoming an ATAF member. The two parties will now work together on the next steps required to progress the accession process towards formal membership.
Ethiopia would join ATAF’s growing community of member tax administrations across the continent. The Republic of the Congo became ATAF’s 45th member in May 2026, further expanding the Forum’s continental representation and the network through which African tax administrations cooperate, exchange expertise and develop responses to shared tax administration challenges.
Ethiopia’s prospective membership would also strengthen ATAF’s presence in East Africa. As an important regional economy and host of the African Union and several continental and international institutions, Ethiopia occupies a strategic position in Africa’s broader development and economic agenda.
The discussions in Addis Ababa went beyond the accession process, exploring opportunities to deepen technical cooperation between ATAF and Ethiopia. This included discussions on how ATAF could support priority areas identified by the Ministry of Revenues, ensuring that the growing institutional relationship also translates into practical support for Ethiopia’s tax administration and domestic revenue mobilisation priorities.
The ATAF delegation was led by Council Chair Dr Johnston Makhubu, while Mr Fikadu Tadesse G/Selase represented Her Excellency the Minister of Revenues. Senior officials from ATAF and the Ministry of Revenues also participated in the discussions.
Ethiopia’s progress towards membership builds on sustained engagement between the two institutions and signals a further strengthening of ATAF’s continental network. Its accession would create new opportunities for Ethiopia to contribute its experience to the ATAF community while benefiting from greater peer exchange, technical cooperation and African-led approaches to strengthening tax administration.
As the accession process advances, the focus will be on translating this growing partnership into practical cooperation that supports stronger tax administration and domestic revenue mobilisation in Ethiopia and across the continent.
