Johannesburg, South Africa – Twenty-one tax officials from ten African countries have gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a two-week training programme focused on tackling illicit financial flows through better tax transparency and cross-border cooperation.
The training, organised by the African Tax Administration Forum and GIZ, runs from 18 to 29 May 2026 and covers two key areas, namely Beneficial Ownership and Exchange of Information.
The programme forms part of the pilot delivery and validation of two newly developed ATAF training manuals, prepared with GIZ support, before they are rolled out more widely through the ATAF Tax Academy. 
The training is designed to translate international tax transparency standards into practical action on the ground, covering how to identify and use beneficial ownership information in audits, risk assessments, and investigations, as well as how to strengthen exchange of information processes, improve cross-border cooperation, and handle confidential taxpayer data correctly.
Participants will work through simulations, peer learning sessions, case discussions, and practitioner feedback sessions, with the dual purpose of deepening their technical knowledge and helping to test and refine the training tools to ensure they reflect the real working conditions of African tax administrations.
The programme is delivered under the Multi-Donor Action on Combatting Illicit Financial Flows in Africa, co-financed by the European Union, Finland, and Germany, and implemented by GIZ.
