The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis reiterated his support for a resolution that potentially opens a path towards resolving international tax disputes through a United Nations-led process yesterday.

The resolution seeks to establish a framework convention on international tax under the UN’s oversight.

Nigeria put forward a UN resolution on international tax cooperation that was passed with 125 votes. Forty-eight voted against the resolution, and nine abstained.

Mr Davis noted yesterday that OECD countries did not support the resolution while many larger countries did.

He said the resolution is an example of the input of developing states being taken seriously for a change.

“I wrote to the UN Secretary-General in September making the case as to why we ought to have a more independent and inclusive body dealing with issues of taxation. They accepted, obviously the move that I made. This is something I took on from I came into office because the rules that have been imposed upon us without our even having an ability to discuss these rules before they are able to be implemented.

“A lot of times the rules they put in place and the sanctions that follow impact us and it is sometimes very costly to implement some of the initiatives that they want so there’s no regard to our circumstance, the cost of living being incurred by putting in these initiative.”

The Financial Times reported last week that the UN’s involvement in the matter takes power from the Paris-based OECD.

Mathias Cormann, head of the OECD, said in a statement posted on the website X, formerly known as Twitter, that the OECD was “proud of its record of achieving consensus-based solutions to address tax evasion and avoidance, stabilise the international tax system and support developing countries”.