On the new Asian Tax Justice Alliance

From our colleagues at Kepa in Finland, describing the birth of a region-wide consolidation of the previously scattered tax justice movements in Asia.

“Over 60 leaders of people´s movements, civil society organizations and trade unions came together in Bangkok and took up the task of building a long-pending regional alliance on Tax Justice in Asia.

Despite the differences in country contexts, organizational capacities, political opinions and positions of individual members, the 2-day regional assembly was able to conclude the formation of “Asian Tax and Fiscal Justice Alliance” and jointly set out initial action plans.

The Coordinating Committee will soon convene its first meeting and an official Asian Declaration on Tax Justice will be released. The newly founded Asian Tax Justice and Fiscal Alliance will serve as a platform to promote exchanges, cooperation and joint efforts within the region on tax justice work. It will also work closely with the Global Alliance for Tax Justice and draw on its resources and expertise.

We have seen earlier stirrings of work on regional tax justice alliances in Asia (see also here), and in various individual countries, but this is a highly promising development. We wish them all the very best, and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.

More on our international network here; see the Tax Advocacy Toolkit here, developed by Christian Aid, SOMO, TJN, TJN-Africa, And Action on Economic Reforms.