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The Ethiopian Civil Service University and Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority jointly organized the 1st workshop on "Challenges and Solutions of Tax Administration". The workshop was held on January 7, 2011 at the Ethiopian Civil Service University main campus.

Opening the workshop Ato Ababu Defere, Director of Institute of Tax and Custom Administration said that the Ethiopian educational system in the previous regimes has been criticized for being unable to meet the needs of the industries. Ato Ababu said

" the situation was changed this regime and the educational system was designed and redesigned to enhance the teaching learning process and meet the industry's need. In addition, problem solving research studies are taking place "

Accordingly, Ato Ababu said the papers which are going to be presented by the Tax and Custom Administration department prospective graduates and the input that we get from the participants will help us to identify the problems and solutions of the tax and customs administration challenges in Ethiopia, said Ato Ababu. In addition, Ato Ababu said in the future, a wide range of problem solving researches will be conducted in selected issues.

H.E. Ato Beker Shale, Deputy Director General for Change & Modernization Division, with the rank of State Minister in Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority on his part said that the government of Ethiopia is currently implementing the Country's five year Growth and Translation Plan (GTP) which is mapped out to sustain rapid economic growth and achieve economic structural transformation. The realization of the stretched macro-economic and sectoral targets of the GTP demands mobilization of financial resources from domestic sources. To this effect the federal, regional and city administration revenue authorities are expected to play a paramount role, said Ato Beker.

Ato Beker added Tax and Custom Administration Institute of the Ethiopian Civil Service University is instrumental in meeting the manpower demand of revenue authorities in the country including ERCA which is the primary beneficiary. The studies and researches that graduates of the institute perform will help them to improve their analytical skills and also be beneficial for revenue authorities to make changes through implementing their recommendations.

He further said

"ensuing workshops are important in creating forums for discussing study and research findings and the reflections will help in making further improvements in revenue authorities and thus they need to be conducted regularly with greater vigor."

Professor Dr. Fisseha-Tsion Menghistu, Instructor at Institute of Tax and Custom Administration and one of the Chief coordinators of the workshop on his part said about 10 main objectives are identified for this and the other follow up joint workshops. Some of them are identifying some of the main and core challenges of tax administration in Ethiopia and seeking some solutions, narrowing the gap between theory and practice, sharing knowledge and experience, enabling students to produce serious and problem solving research out puts, creating a much better institutional, teaching and research relationship and foster a much deeper cooperation between ECSU and ERCA.

Professor Dr. Fisseha-Tsion thanked the ECSU and ERCA officials for their valuable support to make the workshop successes.

The research papers presented at the workshop are focused on four thematic areas: Some Challenges and Solutions to Tax Administration in Ethiopia (ERCA focused and related issues); Regional Tax Administration Issues; Institutional & Human Resources Management; Corruption & Contraband.

About 200 participants drawn from Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority and Ethiopian Civil Service University participated in the conference.

Finally a panel discussion held among the participants.