The 16th ATAF Country Correspondent Conference concluded successfully in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 18–20 February 2026, reaffirming the central role of Country Correspondents in advancing ATAF’s mandate across its member countries.
The Conference brought together 37 Country Correspondents, ATAF Secretariat staff, including the Executive Secretary, Ms Mary Baine, and the Chairman of ATAF and Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS)SARS, Prof. Edward Kieswetter, who officially opened the meeting.
In her opening address, Ms Baine underscored the strategic importance of the network, stating: “ATAF does not succeed because of its Secretariat alone. ATAF succeeds because of you. You are strategic partners. You are the bridge between vision and implementation, the point at which continental ambition meets national reality.”
Prof. Kieswetter reinforced this message, emphasising: “Country Correspondents are not a supporting structure of ATAF. You are a cornerstone of ATAF’s work, its delivery model and its impact. Without you, ATAF remains a Secretariat. With you, ATAF becomes an institution that reaches countries, reforms systems and delivers results.”
Over three days, discussions centred on strengthening programme relevance, improving delivery mechanisms, and reinforcing accountability. Participants reflected on 2025 country experiences, including the implementation of 135 technical assistance missions and knowledge interventions that contributed to policy reforms, generating approximately USD 685.8 million in additional tax revenue.
Deliberations focused on aligning ATAF’s support more closely with national reform priorities, addressing participation constraints, improving predictability of programme communication, and strengthening financial sustainability and monitoring frameworks.
A key milestone of the Conference was the adoption of the Country Correspondent Collaboration framework, which clarified roles, reinforced accountability, and strengthened structured engagement between the Secretariat and Member Countries.
The 16th CCC also provided an important platform for ATAF to formally unveil its Member Portal. A digital collaboration tool designed in-house to enhance real-time engagement with members, while ensuring that communication is structured, responsive and continuous. the opportunity for ATAF to formally launch its Member portal.
Read the full Country Correspondent Conference outcome statement here.
