Public finance and environmental experts from across Africa convened in Togo’s capital on Monday for a five-day regional meeting aimed at advancing climate-sensitive tax policies, organizers said.
The conclave, hosted by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in partnership with the West African Tax Administration Forum (WAFAO), brings together stakeholders from eight African countries, including Togo, the Central African Republic, the Gambia, Rwanda, Djibouti, Mauritania and Uganda. Participants will exchange experiences, strengthen technical expertise, and explore mechanisms for mobilizing national resources to address climate change.
According to ACBF, the meeting is part of the Climate-Adjusted Development and Sustainability Tools (CADAST) initiative, jointly supported by the foundation and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The project aims to assist African governments in integrating climate considerations into macroeconomic and fiscal policies.
“Climate change is no longer a potential or distant threat; it is now a major economic and budgetary reality for our countries,” said Mawussé Adetou Afidenyigba, Chief of Staff at Togo’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. She stressed that effective green taxation policies are essential to help governments align public finances with Sustainable Development and Climate Resilience Goals.
Participants are examining a range of policy instruments, including carbon taxes, environmentally differentiated levies, and fiscal incentives for renewable energy and sustainable business practices. The discussions also emphasize capacity-building, focusing on practical tools for policy design, implementation, and monitoring.
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Peguewinde Rodolphe Bance, head of ACBF’s Economic and Social Governance Unit, said the meeting follows an analytical study by the foundation, which highlighted persistent gaps in African countries’ ability to implement effective green tax systems. The study pointed to limited technical expertise, challenges in tax administration and compliance, insufficient data and analytical tools, and weak coordination between fiscal and climate policies.
“Through this platform, African finance and environmental authorities can share best practices, learn from regional and international experiences, and identify reform pathways adapted to their national contexts,” Bance said.
For Togo, the meeting coincides with ongoing reforms aimed at improving domestic revenue mobilization and enhancing the efficiency and fairness of the tax system. Authorities have increasingly sought to integrate climate considerations into national policy, aligning fiscal strategy with both sustainable development objectives and the country’s climate resilience goals.
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Regional cooperation is a central theme of the conclave, with organizers emphasizing the importance of South-South knowledge exchange in developing policies that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible. In particular, participants are studying successful green taxation initiatives in other African countries, including Rwanda’s carbon levy on fuel imports and Mauritania’s incentives for renewable energy investments.
The meeting also highlights the growing role of public finance in addressing climate change. By aligning tax systems with environmental objectives, countries can mobilize additional resources to fund mitigation and adaptation efforts, while sending market signals that encourage businesses and households to adopt greener practices.
African governments face mounting pressure to finance climate action amid limited fiscal space and growing development needs. According to recent ACBF analyses, the lack of effective green taxation could constrain countries’ ability to invest in renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, and climate adaptation programs.
The Lomé conclave is expected to conclude on Friday, with participants producing recommendations for strengthening climate-sensitive tax frameworks and sharing guidance on implementation tools, data management, and cross-sector coordination. Organizers said the outcomes will feed into national policy dialogues and regional capacity-building initiatives, aiming to accelerate Africa’s transition to sustainable and climate-resilient economies.
