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Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations
Friedrich Ebert Foundation
in cooperation with the
Financing for Development Office/ UN-DESA
New Resources for Development Finance-
Combating tax evasion, implementing solidarity levies and
other innovative financing mechanisms
Tuesday, April
25, 2006
10.00 a.m.- 1.00 p.m.
United Nations,
New York
Conference Room 5
The initiative “Action against Hunger and
Poverty” that was initiated by the Presidents of Brazil, France and Chile and
later joined by Spain, Germany and Algeria has created new political momentum in
the international community to meet the urgent need for additional resources of
development finance and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
After Chile and France, 11 additional countries have recently committed in a
conference in Paris to take decisions for the implementation of a small levy on
air travel and have created a new dynamic in the search for new innovative
financing mechanisms. The conference also established a “pilot group for
solidarity contributions for development”, which is supported by 38 governments.
For several years the creation of new additional
sources for stable and predictable flows for development have been subject to
discussion in the international community. Besides considerations for solidarity
levies, policy proposals for tackling tax evasion and loopholes in the
international tax system have become defining features of the debate. While
most of these undeclared funds originate from developed countries a significant
portion of tax avoidance deprives poor countries of the resources necessary to
their growth and development. The loss in tax revenues generated by evasion in
developing countries may be equivalent to the sums needed to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. In other words, it would be pointless to think
about poverty reduction, if at the same time little is being done to help to
rebuild these countries’ taxation capabilities, both of their own residents and
on foreign-owned capital.
Background
Reading:
Innovative Sources of Finance after the Paris
Conference by Frank Schroeder, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, New York.
Program
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10:00 am |
Registration
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10:15 am -10:30 am
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Welcome and Introduction
H.E. Mr. Heraldo Muñoz:
Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of
Chile to the United Nations
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10:30 am-1:30 pm |
Panel Discussion:
Combating tax evasion, implementing solidarity levies and
other innovative financing mechanisms |
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The purpose of the panel is to
provide an opportunity to review the recent outcomes of the Paris
conference, discuss solidarity levies, other innovative financing
mechanisms and address policy options against tax evasion. The event
will in particular strive for a dialogue between governmental
representatives and non-governmental actors who are actively engaged in
the Follow-up process of the Financing for Development (FfD) conference.
Seminar participants include delegates from national governments and
missions to the UN, Board members of the international financial
institutions, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
Speakers:
Mr. John Christensen,
International Coordinator, Tax Justice Network
Mr. Ricardo Ffrench- Davis,
Principal Regional Advisor, Economic Commission for Latin America and
the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Mr. Luis Pereira,
Secretary for International Affairs, Ministry of Finance,
Brazil
Mr. Jean Pierre Landau,
Coordinator of the report on innovative sources of
finance to French President Jacques Chirac (tbc.)
Mr. John
Williamson,
Senior Fellow, Institute for International
Economics
Moderator:
Ms. Maria Luiza Viotti,
Director
General, Department for Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Brazil
Concluding
Remarks:
Mr. Frank
Schroeder,
Senior Economist, Friedrich Ebert
Foundation, New York Office
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