Riyadh

The third edition of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference, organized by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) under the theme " Shaping Tomorrow for Sustainable Ecosystem," concluded today. The conference took place over two days, December 4-5, 2024, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Minister of Finance and Chairman of ZATCA's Board of Directors, H.E. Mr. Mohammed Al-Jadaan.

The conference presented the signing of 11 agreements, including 8 international agreements between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Croatia, Pakistan, Kuwait, Egypt, Bulgaria, Iceland, Kosovo, and Morocco. Additionally, ZATCA signed 3 local agreements with the Board of Grievances, the Public Health Authority, and the Council of Health Insurance, along with the signing of several agreements between the participating entities at the conference.

H.E. the Minister of Finance, during the opening of the conference, emphasized the importance of this event in enhancing international cooperation to address tax and customs challenges and support global economic growth. He pointed out the achievements of ZATCA, the most notable of which is reaching a 99.35% rate on the United Nations Digital Government Index as a result of developing digital services and implementing more than 350 requirements according to the index.

He also shed light during his speech on the importance of the conference, which lies in enhancing regional and international economic integration and highlighting efforts to boost intra-trade, harness technology, and strengthen international cooperation through establishing bilateral and international partnerships with many countries to exchange expertise in Zakat, tax, and customs work.

For his part, the Governor of ZATCA, H.E. Eng. Suhail bin Mohammed Abanami, affirmed that the conference formed an ideal platform to unify local and international efforts towards building advanced zakat, tax, and customs systems. He also emphasized the importance of zakat policies in achieving social solidarity, noting that the conference focused on tax and customs policies as key factors in enhancing security and economic growth.

The conference included a series of panel discussions featuring a selection of global experts and leaders, showcasing the latest innovations and solutions in the fields of zakat, tax, and customs, in addition to discussions on the integration of national and international policies.

The accompanying exhibition witnessed 90 local, regional, and international entities, and the conference organized 72 workshops over two days, covering various topics including digital transformation, enhancing economic security, sustainable growth strategies, and many subjects related to the Authority's services and initiatives in all zakat, tax, and customs fields.

The conference was widely attended by officials, experts, and interested parties from around the world, where ideas and visions were exchanged regarding the future of zakat, tax, and customs policies. Additionally, it highlighted the digital transformations and pioneering initiatives led by the Kingdom to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.