Keynote on the challenge of offshore tax havens by Niels Johannesen
Channel: UNU-WIDER
Date: 2023-09-25

Niels Johannesen, Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen, presents his paper with the working title, 'The challenge of offshore tax havens'. Johannesen will discuss offshore tax havens and the challenges they pose for developing nations.

In this lecture, Johannesen will explore the multifaceted activities that transpire within offshore tax havens, encompassing aspects such as personal tax evasion, money laundering, and corporate tax avoidance. Drawing on his extensive research and expertise, he will shed light on the intricate mechanisms that drive these activities and their far-reaching consequences.

His focus is on the unique challenges faced by developing countries in relation to offshore tax havens. Johannesen will discuss the distinctive hurdles these nations encounter, reflecting on issues such as resource scarcity, governance limitations, and imbalanced power dynamics. Furthermore, he will propose insightful policy solutions tailored specifically to address the concerns of developing economies.

Professor Johannesen's work stands on the shoulders of leading scholars in the field, including Gabriel Zucman, Juliana Londoño-Vélez, Mick Keen, and Joel Slemrod, among others. By weaving together his research with their recent contributions, the keynote promises to deliver a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the offshore tax haven landscape.