By Bosco Bush
South Sudan Revenue Authority [SSRA] requests East African region to help in addressing challenges hindering smooth customs operations and digital market taxation.
Commissioner General of South Sudan Revenue Authority, Africano Mande made the request during the 52nd East Africa Revenue Authority Commissioner General [EARACG] meeting held on November 18th-19th, in Nairobi.
Mande reaffirmed “full support” of the SSRA working with regional counterparts to achieve the agenda of East Africa Community [EAC] Single Custom Territory.
However, he outlined some challenges including barriers at ports, and insufficient generation of revenues from digital markets, businesses and trade.
“It’s a common knowledge that SSRA has faced multiple challenges at various ports caused by imposition of unauthorized barriers by multiple actors. Cargo destined to South Sudan have either been held or delayed by unauthorized actors,” he said.
Many times, Mande said, “custom bonds, documents have been tempered with and altered. Specifics have altered, cargoes have diverted, misdirected, and above all underdeclared.”
According to Mande said, with evolution of new dynamic technologies, digital economic spaces present opportunities and growth, however, it also brings huge challenges to the respective revenue authorities.
He added that, “digital markets, businesses and trade are increasingly becoming less visible and illusive.”
“These digital markets, businesses and trade, they even transcend international boundaries and tend to undermine and downplay regional and international borders, which is one of the nightmares of our tax administration and tax operations.”
Mande suggested continues engagement and ideological sharing to assist SSRA address the multiple challenges that have shrouded management and operations particularly of customs at various ports in the region during transiting of cargos destined to South Sudan and even beyond.
“So, the area of custom operation must always take a center stage in the various engagement,” he stated.
The two-day bi-annual Commissioners General meeting brings together Heads of Revenue Authorities and senior officials from the East African region to share experiences and address common tax administration challenges.
This year’s meeting of the regional revenue bosses was held under the theme “enhancing tax compliance free effective community engagement in digital era.”