ATAF и Восточноафриканское сообщество запустили реформы налогов на здоровье для борьбы с нелегальной торговлей

ATAF, EAC Push Health Tax Reforms MOMBASA, Kenya, September 2, 2026 — The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and the East African Community (EAC) have stepped up efforts to strengthen regional cooperation on health taxes as African countries grapple with rising debt, declining development assistance and increasing cases of non-communicable diseases. The two institutions convened a Regional Engagement on Health Taxes in the Context of Excise Taxation in Mombasa, Kenya, alongside the EAC Tax Policy and Tax Administration Sub-Committee meeting. The engagement brought together officials responsible for tax policy and administration across EAC Partner States to examine how coordinated taxation of products such as tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages could increase domestic revenue while supporting public health objectives. ATAF partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO), Tax Justice Network Africa, the University of Cape Town and the World Bank Group to support the regional discussions. According to a release, the meeting placed health taxation within the EAC’s broader tax harmonization agenda, with participants examining how differences in tax rates and legal frameworks among neighboring countries could contribute to cross-border tax arbitrage, smuggling and illicit trade. Opening the meeting, ATAF Manager for Domestic Tax Linstrom Marangu said health taxes remain an underutilized source of domestic revenue and a tool for reducing consumption of products associated with health risks. “Health taxes represent a unique and underutilized opportunity,” Marangu said. “For finance ministries, they provide a progressive and sustainable source of domestic revenue. For public health authorities, they remain among the most effective tools available to reduce the consumption of harmful products and improve health outcomes.” He said greater regional cooperation could strengthen the effectiveness of national health-tax policies by reducing disparities between neighboring jurisdictions. “Divergent tax rates and legal frameworks across neighbouring jurisdictions create fertile ground for cross-border tax arbitrage, smuggling and illicit trade,” Marangu said. The discussions focused particularly on the design and effectiveness of taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages. Participants reviewed existing tax policies across EAC countries, including tax structures, rates, product definitions and administrative systems. The exercise was intended to allow participating countries to identify strengths and weaknesses in their existing approaches and consider reforms aimed at improving both revenue collection and public health outcomes. Technical discussions supported by ATAF, the University of Cape Town and the World Bank Group also emphasized the need for governments to balance public health objectives with revenue generation and effective tax administration. The initiative comes as governments across Africa seek to expand domestic revenue sources amid growing fiscal pressures and reduced access to traditional development financing. ATAF and the EAC maintain that greater coordination could help countries strengthen revenue collection while limiting opportunities for illicit trade and tax avoidance across national borders.