The Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association (PITAA) participated in the 3rd High-Level Regional Tax Conference, hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), from November 4th to 6th, 2025, in Manila, Philippines. Representing the PITAA Secretariat at the event was its Head of Secretariat, Mr. Petero Maivucevuce.
Organized by the Asia Pacific Tax Hub under ADB’s Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office, the conference brought together senior tax officials, policymakers, and development partners from across the region to engage in strategic dialogue on domestic resource mobilization, international tax cooperation, and tax transparency.
The meeting was also attended by thirteen (13) of PITAA’s sixteen (16) member countries, namely: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The 2025 conference focused on key areas, including tax policy reform, the two-pillar international tax framework, base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), exchange of information, and digital transformation in tax administration, topics that resonate strongly with the Pacific’s ongoing tax modernization agenda.
Mr. Maivucevuce highlighted the importance of PITAA’s participation in regional tax discussions, noting that it provides a vital platform for sharing Pacific perspectives and learning from global experiences.
“For the past three years, the ADB’s High-Level Regional Tax Conference has continued to provide an important opportunity for small island economies like ours to exchange insights and learn from broader regional and global experiences. As the voice of Pacific tax administrations, PITAA’s engagement ensures that the unique challenges and perspectives of our member countries are part of the international tax dialogue,” he said.
He further emphasized that the conference complements PITAA’s mission to support its members in strengthening tax administration and promoting fair and transparent tax systems.
“Our participation reflects PITAA’s continued commitment to advancing effective, inclusive, and digitally capable tax systems across the Pacific. By engaging with development partners and regional peers, we strengthen our collective capacity to mobilize domestic revenues and support sustainable development,” added Mr. Maivucevuce.
PITAA’s presence at this high-level forum reaffirmed its role as a trusted regional body fostering cooperation, capacity building, and innovation in taxation. The Secretariat remains committed to working alongside partners such as ADB to enhance good governance, improve compliance, and create stronger fiscal foundations for Pacific Island economies.