Innovation and Collaboration for the Senegalese Tax System

Terrou-Bi Hotel, Dakar, Senegal
November 3-4, 2016


Key Messages

The IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), in collaboration with Senegal’s Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning, is organizing a “Hackathon” during November 3-4, 2016 in Dakar, to identify new opportunities for strengthening Senegal’s revenue performance. It is for the first time that this mode of delivering technical assistance (TA) is being attempted. The event is designed to help identify new solutions to simplify taxpayers’ obligations, compliance, and manage performance.

Background

The Senegalese tax administration (DGID) has been an important recipient of FAD technical assistance in tax policy and revenue administration, including IT support for core tax administration operations. Since 2011, it has benefited from a multiyear TA program under the Tax Policy and Administration Topical Trust Fund. The “Hackathon” is an opportunity to come up with new methods, ideas and digital solutions to increase the effectiveness of Senegal’s tax administration and also revenue performance. The future FAD TA on tax issues will build on the suggestions emanating from the Hackathon.

Agenda

80 participants from various organizations within and outside government in Senegal, the WAEMU countries, Europe, and the US and Canada, including Etalab from France. The participants will be tax specialists, IT experts, academics and private sector representatives. The two-day event will be facilitated by a consulting firm, in close coordination with the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning.

Registration

In addition to the officials and experts already invited, the Hackathon has a limited number of open seats available to private individuals who would like to participate. Please click here to submit a short application for consideration, and we will let you know within two days if you can attend.

                                                         Agenda

Day 1: Thursday, November 3, 2016
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Registration/Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Opening remarks/Introductions

Speakers:

Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ba, Director General of Taxes and Domains, Senegal

M. Sanjeev Gupta , Deputy Director of FAD, IMF

M. Amadou Ba, Minister of Economy and Finance, Senegal
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break & Time to discover each challenge
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Objectives and selection criteria for the Hackathon

Speaker:

Mme. Katherine Baer, Chief of the Revenue Administration Division 2, FAD, IMF
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Creation of groups, ice-breaker, and understanding of challenges and sub-challenges
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Lunch break
2:30 – 3:15 p.m.
Inspiration phase: each group lists all the ideas that may inspire their work
3:15 – 4:00 p.m.
Creativity phase: participants bounce ideas off each other ideas to be as innovative & creative as possible
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Concept selection: task assignment and agenda setting
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Sub-groups work on their chosen concept
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Break
8:00 p.m.
Dinner hosted by the Ministry of Finance

Speaker:

Welcoming remarks by M. Daouda Sembene, Alternate Executive Director of FEDAF, IMF
Day 2: Friday, November 4, 2016
8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Welcoming of participants and warm up
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Each group presents where it is at this moment
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sub-groups work to finish prototyping the solution and preparing the pitch
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Lunch break
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Sub-groups pitch solutions (2 minutes/group + 3 minutes for questions)
4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Jury deliberation
4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Announcement of winners
5:00 – 5:15 p.m.
Distribution of prizes by M. Amadou Ba, Minister of Economy and Finance of Senegal
5:15 – 6:00 p.m.
Closing session/End of the hackathon

Speakers:

M. Sanjeev Gupta , Deputy Director of FAD, IMF

M. Amadou Ba, Minister of Economy and Finance, Senegal