The tax authorities of Egypt, represented by the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) led by Rasha Abd El-Aal, participated in the BRICS tax administrations and bodies meeting in New Delhi, India, from September 21 to 23, 2026. The meeting brought together tax heads and representatives from BRICS nations to discuss cooperation and share experiences in tax administration. The Indian Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, welcomed participants, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation and knowledge sharing among BRICS nations.
Rasha Abd El-Aal highlighted the significance of tax cooperation among BRICS nations, citing the benefits of exchanging experiences and best practices. She expressed Egypt's commitment to enhancing cooperation during the coming phase, supporting efforts to develop and modernize tax administrations. Abd El-Aal also stated that the ETA is willing to continue cooperating and sharing knowledge with tax administrations of BRICS nations to achieve mutual benefits and support capacity building.
The meeting resulted in a closing statement that included several outcomes and future work paths to enhance tax cooperation among BRICS nations. The statement emphasized continued work within the governance framework and cooperation among tax heads, as well as the continuation of specialized working groups and adoption of their work plans for the coming phase. This aims to support knowledge sharing, capacity building, and tax administration development in member countries.
The ETA is participating in the meetings based on directives from Finance Minister Ahmed Kouk to enhance international tax cooperation and leverage best practices and international experiences in developing the Egyptian tax system. Egypt's participation also aims to share its expertise in development and modernization with tax administrations of BRICS nations. The closing statement included the launch of the BRICS Tax Knowledge Lab, a platform for exchanging information and knowledge on tax registration, systems, and trade.
The tax cooperation between BRICS nations also covers areas such as international taxation and transaction pricing. Rasha Abd El-Aal stated that the ETA encourages and supports cooperation in these areas, offering to share Egypt's expertise, particularly in transaction pricing. Egypt has become a partner tax administration, providing support to other tax administrations through the "Tax Officials Without Borders" initiative.
Capacity building and investment in human capital were also emphasized in the closing statement. The parties agreed to continue the annual program for training and qualifying tax cadres from BRICS nations, hosted by India through the National Academy of Direct Taxes. This program allows for the exchange of technical and practical experiences and develops the skills of tax administration cadres from member countries.
The meetings concluded with an emphasis on continuing working groups, initiatives, and cooperation paths developed during India's presidency, with China taking over the group's presidency in 2027. The Egyptian delegation included Rasha Abd El-Aal, Dr. Abdel Razek Shouki, and Dr. Afaf Ibrahim. The outcomes reflect a shared commitment to enhancing tax cooperation among BRICS nations based on institutional and sustainable foundations.
Key points
- Egypt shares tax expertise with BRICS nations to enhance cooperation and develop tax administrations.
