Overview:
Uganda will host the 2026 Global Tax Transparency Forum after endorsement by the OECD. The country also commits to crypto-asset reporting by 2027.
NEW DELHI, INDIA — Uganda has been selected to host the 19th Global Forum Plenary Meeting on Automatic Exchange of Information next year, a move expected to significantly enhance the country’s profile in international tax cooperation.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, seconded Uganda’s bid on Friday during the 18th Global Forum Plenary Meeting held in New Delhi, India. The meeting, which brings together tax administrators and finance ministers, was held under the theme, “Tax Transparency: Delivering a Shared Vision Through International Cooperation.”
Uganda was represented at the event by Finance State Minister for Planning Amos Lugoloobi and Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General John Musinguzi.
Musinguzi welcomed the development, describing it as “an honor for the country and URA.”
The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes serves as a platform for 172 member countries to implement and uphold international standards of transparency and information sharing to combat tax evasion and illicit financial flows.
Uganda initiated the implementation of the Automatic Exchange of Information framework in 2023 by developing a legal framework, adopting the common reporting standard and establishing an in-house reporting portal. The country has since joined a global network of more than 120 jurisdictions that exchange tax information on their residents.
Looking ahead, Musinguzi stated that the Uganda Revenue Authority is preparing to expand its information reporting to include digital assets.
“Uganda has formally committed to implementing the crypto-asset reporting framework, with the first exchanges planned for 2027,” he said.
Mathias Cormann, the OECD secretary general, reaffirmed the commitment of Global Forum members to strengthening international tax cooperation. He noted the future meeting will “offer an opportunity to assess the progress achieved to date and to identify key priorities for the coming years.”
Catherine Lemesle, the secretary general of the Cercle Reflexion Echange Dirigeants Administrations Fiscales, or CREDAF, emphasized the Global Forum’s efforts to help jurisdictions implement international standards, ranging from initial political commitment to the effective use of data.