IFC Helps Streamline Tax Procedures for Entrepreneurs in Tajikistan
In Dushanbe
Andrea Dall’Olio
Phone: + 992 (48) 701-1447
Email: adallolio@ifc.org
In Moscow
Ilya Sverdlov
Phone: + 7 (495) 411-7555
Email: isverdlov@ifc.org
In Washington, DC
Andrea Engel
Phone: +1 (202) 458-1969
Email: aengel@ifc.org
Dushanbe, 19 March 2007—IFC, the
private sector arm of the World Bank Group, signed a joint action plan
with the Tajik Tax Committee to help improve procedures for inspections
of businesses in Tajikistan. The project, led by IFC and financed by SECO,
Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, will focus on streamlining
procedures in accordance with the law governing inspections that the Tajik
government adopted last summer.
“By signing this action plan, we confirm our intention to work with IFC
on implementing the amendments to the tax code related to inspections.
After developing the required regulations, the Tax Committee and IFC will
provide training for key officials to ensure that they understand the new
regulations and incorporate them into their work,” said Hakim Huseinovich
Soliev, chairman of the Tax Committee.
The signing also represents a further step in the two-year collaboration
between the two organizations. In 2006, they conducted a wide-scale dissemination
of the Inspection Registration Books by printing 125,000 copies and distributing
them among Tajik entrepreneurs. Since then, the Tax Committee and IFC have
held numerous workshops on inspection regulations for staff and entrepreneurs,
as well as round-table discussions to facilitate dialogue between entrepreneurs
and the committee staff.
IFC project manager Andrea Dall’Olio expects that the development of the
tax inspections manual and the training of officials and entrepreneurs
will simplify tax inspections procedures and increase transparency. “We
believe that our collaboration with the Tax Committee will increase the
effectiveness of tax administration and improve the relationship between
entrepreneurs and tax bodies,” he explained.
The action plan contains a detailed list of activities to be undertaken
by both parties in 2007, particularly for developing inspections manuals
and training of staff. It also includes an information campaign dedicated
to the dissemination of tax inspections rules among Tajikistan’s small
businesses.
About IFC
IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, promotes open and
competitive markets in developing countries. IFC supports sustainable
private sector companies and other partners in generating productive jobs
and delivering basic services, so that people have opportunities to escape
poverty and improve their lives. Through FY06, IFC Financial Products has
committed more than $56 billion in funding for private sector investments
and mobilized an additional $25 billion in syndications for 3,531 companies
in 140 developing countries. IFC Advisory Services and donor partners have
provided more than $1 billion in program support to build small enterprises,
to accelerate private participation in infrastructure, to improve the business
enabling environment, to increase access to finance, and to strengthen
environmental and social sustainability. For more information, please visit
www.ifc.org.
About SECO
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is the Swiss Confederation's
competence center for all the core issues related to economic policy. Its
aim is to create basic regulatory and economic policy conditions to enable
business to flourish and benefit all. SECO also represents Switzerland
in the large multilateral trade organizations and international negotiations,
and is involved in efforts to reduce poverty and help developing countries
with transition economies build sustainable democratic societies and viable
market economies. Each year, Switzerland spends about 1.9 billion Swiss
francs on development cooperation and transition assistance to countries.
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