This past week, I had the privilege to serve as an English-Arabic simultaneous interpreter alongside my colleague Sharaf Alhourani for the UN Conference - 2023 Dialogue on Tax and the Sustainable Development Goals, held in New York at Columbia University from November 14-15.
The Tax for Sustainable Development Goals Initiative, or Tax for SDGs, supports developing countries in increasing domestic resource mobilization (DRM) and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under the Initiative, taxation is considered both a tool for revenue collection and a policy instrument to encourage sustainable growth strategies and influence behaviour towards desired outcomes related to climate, nature, well-being, and governance.
During the Conference, the Dialogue delved deeper into the strategic role of tax policies and administration in building fairer societies supported by efficient, just and robust tax systems. It tackled pressing issues such as climate financing, privatization of tax administration, inter-generational debt impacts, and harnessing tax measures for SDG financing. The Dialogue also spotlighted the transformative power of taxation in economic and social spheres, underscored the necessity for transparency and accountability, and discussed the crucial role of media in garnering political support for SDG-oriented taxation.
I'm excited to have been part of this effort to promote Tax for SDGs. #SDGs #Tax4SDGs #UNDP #ColumbiaUniversity
Here are some pictures from the event.
