The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, Maria Benvinda Delfina Levi, swore in Aníbal Joaquim Mbalango as the new President of the Mozambican Tax Authority (AT) on Friday morning (11).

With this appointment, Anibal Mbalango, 44, who has been an AT employee for around 20 years, 11 of which as head of Extractive Sector Taxation, becomes the institution's fourth president and replaces Elisa Zacarias.

On the occasion, Maria Benvinda Delfina Levi reminded those present that the AT's role is not limited to monitoring and collecting taxes, as it is also the guardian of tax justice, tax equity and the state's financial sustainability.  

She recommended that the newly appointed AT helmsman continue to improve the mechanisms that enable efficient revenue collection for the state coffers, focusing on simplifying procedures and modernizing technology, with a view to meeting the established targets, thus ensuring that tax obligations are met in a fair and transparent manner.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to focus on simplifying procedures and modernizing technology, since, according to her, these measures will, on the one hand, help improve the quality of service to taxpayers and facilitate trade and, on the other, promote the country's economic development corridors.

"It is in this sense that we expect the newly appointed President of the Tax Authority and his work team to prioritize, among other actions, the reinforcement of the implementation of strategies for customs and tax inspection and control, the design and implementation of effective programs to prevent, combat and contain fraud and customs and tax violations, as well as the illicit trafficking of all kinds of drugs, weapons, among others, as well as the training and continuous training of human resources," he challenged. 

In a separate event, Finance Minister Carla Louveira swore in Osvaldo Correia and Moisés Marime as Director General of Customs and Director General of Taxes, respectively, replacing the outgoing Taurai Tsama and Lurdes Banze.