Vast sums of money are diverted from the public purse to private pockets as a result of tax evasion and corruption every year, but government efforts to close tax loopholes are often met with explicit or implicit threats by companies to move elsewhere, taking their investment and jobs with them.
This is an international problem, and needs an international solution. But current efforts at co-operation are limited and fail to get anywhere near the heart of the problem. Countries need to join forces in a multilateral effort to go after the bad guys, as well as making the structural and policy changes necessary to address these issues globally.
Developing the right skills and partnerships to launch and complete effective investigations is part of the solution. Recently, advocates for economic, social and cultural rights (ESC) have acknowledged the close connections between states’ human rights obligations and tax revenues, including systems that enable corporations and individuals to transfer their wealth offshore, beyond the reach of governments.
