Rasha Abdel Aal, Head of the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA), has announced the Authority's official participation as a partner tax administration in the "Tax Inspectors Without Borders" (TIWB) initiative, after previously being among the first African tax authorities to benefit from its support since 2016. Abdel Aal stated that, with the full backing and ongoing guidance of Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk for institutional development and international cooperation efforts, the Authority continues to consolidate its position as one of the region's leading tax administrations. She described this transition from beneficiary to technical partner as an unprecedented milestone in the Authority's history. She stressed that this new role reflects the Authority's significant progress in the field of international taxation. She noted that the initiative is a joint project between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the European Union. Abdel Aal explained that Egypt will now offer technical assistance to developing countries aiming to enhance their expertise in transfer pricing and international taxation. This support will draw on the Authority's accumulated experience and the outcomes of previous cooperation under the initiative. She added that, in recent years, the Authority has implemented four capacity-building programmes for tax inspectors through the initiative, supported by experts from the OECD, UNDP and several independent consultants. The current programme, she noted, is conducted in collaboration with His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the United Kingdom and focuses on complex transfer pricing issues in sectors such as extractive industries, financial services, and telecommunications. Abdel Aal emphasised that the initiative's support has played a key role in developing sustainable capabilities within the Authority. This includes training 37 inspectors in transfer pricing and international taxation, establishing a dedicated unit for transfer pricing and international tax, and achieving a notable rise in tax revenues through improved examination of multinational companies' pricing practices based on international standards. She also highlighted several reforms to tax policy and regulatory procedures introduced following recommendations by initiative experts. She affirmed that joining the initiative as a partner is international recognition of the Egyptian Tax Authority's commitment to capacity building and global cooperation. "We are proud of this historic achievement," she said, "and we look forward to sharing our expertise with tax administrations in developing countries within the framework of international cooperation led by the initiative. This reinforces Egypt's leading role in shaping tax policy and audit practices globally." For its part, the OECD confirmed that the ETA's participation as a partner demonstrates its commitment to knowledge sharing and building a more collaborative international tax environment.
