African legislators reaffirmed their collective commitment to combating illicit financial flows (IFFs) and promoting tax justice, marking the beginning of a new decade of political will and action to reclaim the continent’s economic sovereignty.
This renewed resolve was formalised during the 10th continental conference of the African Parliamentary Network on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation (APNIFFT), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme “A Decade of Combating Illicit Financial Flows and Advancing Tax Justice: Reflection, Innovation, and Political Will.”
The conference, convened under the coordination of the Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), brought together Members of Parliament from African countries, alongside representatives from civil society, academia, and development partners.
The conference marked ten years since the establishment of APNIFFT, a network that has become one of Africa’s most influential parliamentary platforms advancing fiscal justice and accountability.
Delegates reflected on the progress made since the release of the 2015 High-Level Panel Report on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, chaired by former South African President H.E. Thabo Mbeki, which had catalysed the continental movement against the loss of Africa’s resources.
While celebrating legislative gains and stronger oversight mechanisms, participants expressed concern that Africa continued to lose billions of dollars annually through illicit financial flows; resources urgently needed to finance health, education, and sustainable development.
“Illicit financial flows rob our nations of the resources we need to deliver quality public services and build a fairer future for our people,” said Hon. Dr Khanyisile Tshabalala, the outgoing Chairperson of APNIFFT. “This conference reaffirms our shared commitment to ensuring that Africa’s wealth serves its citizens, not external interests. The next decade must be one of decisive legislative action and political accountability.”
“Africa cannot afford to continue losing billions through illicit financial flows while our people carry the heaviest tax burden. APNIFFT 2025 is a reminder that building fair, feminist, and just tax systems is not an aspiration—it is an urgent continental obligation,” said TJNA’s Executive Director, Ms. Chenai Mukumba.
At the conclusion of the three-day conference, parliamentarians adopted the Johannesburg Commitment, a renewed framework for action to guide the next phase of parliamentary engagement on IFFs and tax justice. The commitment reaffirmed legislators’ determination to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation through fair and transparent taxation, enhance oversight of government finances, and advance collaborative efforts with civil society and the media.
Parliamentarians further reaffirmed their support for the African Group at the United Nations, which is leading negotiations on a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, emphasising the need for an inclusive and fair global tax architecture that reflects Africa’s priorities.
Recognising the continent’s rising debt burden, delegates called for urgent reforms to the global debt architecture, anchored in a UN Framework Convention on Sovereign Debt to guarantee fair and transparent restructuring, automatic relief for countries in crisis, and stronger regulation of credit rating agencies. They also urged the adoption of financing models that support care economies and promote gender equality.
Throughout the discussions, legislators emphasised the link between tax justice and gender equality, committing to gender-responsive fiscal policies that recognise unpaid care work and integrate gender-disaggregated data in tax systems. They also emphasised the need for stronger mineral resource governance, corporate transparency, and digital public infrastructure to enhance tax compliance and accountability.
As the conference concluded, parliamentarians reiterated their shared belief that Africa’s prosperity depends on reclaiming the billions lost annually through illicit financial flows. They pledged to advance reforms that reduce inequality, improve transparency, and ensure that national resources work for the continent’s citizens.
Adopted on 15th October 2025, the Johannesburg Commitment marked a significant milestone in the African tax justice movement; one that combines reflection with renewed purpose. As participants left Johannesburg, their message was clear: Africa’s moment to achieve tax justice in our lifetime has arrived.
For more information about 2025 APNIFFT, please contact Francis Kairu at fkairu[@]taxjusticeafrica.net
