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Brief

The Tax Era of Development: Taxing Smarter for Equity, Growth, and Resilience

Published on 24 June 2025

At a time of substantial uncertainty for global development, three things are clear.

First, aid is retreating substantially, and probably permanently. Second, lower-income countries’ debt servicing costs are spiralling, and their ability to take on new debt is constrained at the same time as principal sums are coming due. Third, the resources needed to finance development investments and core public services, including adaptations to the climate catastrophe, are continuously increasing. The consequence of this is already visible: the pressure and hope are on states’ ability to mobilise domestic resources. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development’s recently agreed ‘Compromiso de Sevilla’ highlights the centrality of domestic public resources for sustainable development.
History

Cite this publication

Gallien, M. et al. (2025) The Tax Era of Development: Taxing Smarter for Equity, Growth, and Resilience, ICTD Policy Brief 18, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI: 10.19088/ICTD.2025.039

Authors

Max Gallien

Research Fellow

Martin Hearson

Research Fellow

Giulia Mascagni

IDS Research Fellow and ICTD Executive Director

Giovanni Occhiali

Research Fellow

Daisy Ogembo

Research Fellow

Vanessa van den Boogaard

ICTD Research Fellow

Publication details

published by
Institute of Development Studies
doi
https://doi.org/10.19088/ICTD.2025.039
language
English

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