ARUSHA, October 11, 2026 — The Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators [CATA] has commended the East African Community [EAC] for its progress in digital revenue administration and trade facilitation.
The commendation was made during a courtesy visit by commissioners and heads of tax administrations from CATA member states to the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, on the sidelines of the 46th CATA Annual Heads Meeting and Technical Conference.
The conference, hosted by Tanzania from October 5-9, 2026, was held under the theme, “Leveraging Technology for Efficient Revenue Collection”.
Speaking during the engagement, EAC Secretary General Amb. Stephen Patrick Mbundi said stronger collaboration between regional economic communities and tax administrations was critical in addressing emerging challenges in an increasingly digital and interconnected economy.
“Regional integration and effective revenue administration are mutually reinforcing. As trade, investment and digital transactions continue to transcend national borders, there is a growing need for tax and customs authorities to collaborate, share information and harness technology to enhance compliance, facilitate trade and safeguard revenue,” Mbundi said.
Mbundi said the EAC was using digital transformation to deepen regional integration, including through interoperable systems designed to support customs cooperation, trade facilitation and the movement of goods across the region.
He cited the Single Customs Territory [SCT] as one of the initiatives that has helped simplify customs procedures and reduce the cost and time of doing business in the region.
He also pointed to digital platforms, including EACBond and the Electronic Cargo Tracking System [ECTS], which he said had strengthened cargo monitoring, improved transparency, enhanced revenue assurance and facilitated cross-border trade.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for EAC officials to share experiences from the bloc’s regional integration initiatives with tax administrators from across the Commonwealth.
Participants discussed the growing use of digital solutions, data analytics and artificial intelligence in tax administration, as well as the need for secure information-sharing mechanisms to improve compliance, combat tax evasion and support evidence-based decision-making.
The discussions further explored areas for possible cooperation between the EAC and CATA, including digital tax administration, cross-border information exchange, transfer pricing, taxation of the digital economy, combating illicit financial flows, institutional capacity development and coordination among tax, customs and trade agencies.
The participants said stronger cooperation between tax and customs administrations would be necessary to improve domestic revenue mobilisation, facilitate legitimate trade and address emerging challenges arising from the digital economy.
The 46th CATA Annual Heads Meeting and Technical Conference brought together tax commissioners, policymakers, revenue experts and development partners from across the Commonwealth to discuss approaches to strengthening revenue administration in an increasingly digital economy.
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