Monaco in Lisbon for OECD Global Forum on tax transparency

Ahead of its report on Monaco in 2025, a delegation from the Principality has taken part in the OECD Global Tax Forum in Lisbon, an international body working on the implementation of international standards for tax transparency.

The Monegasque delegation travelled to Lisbon, Portugal, for the 16th plenary meeting of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) from Tuesday 28th November to 1st December.

The meeting was an opportunity for participants to focus on the collective achievements of the Global Forum over the past 15 years, of international tax cooperation in the fight against tax evasion and tax transparency, “international standards in which the Principality of Monaco is fully committed”, said the Monaco government in a statement. Discussions were also focused on the future work of the Global Forum to ensure the effective implementation of information exchange (ER) standards.

The morning of the first day was broadcast publicly, while the rest of the meetings were reserved for members, of which Monaco has been since 2009.

During this meeting, the OECD presented the points of attention that certain jurisdictions – including the Principality of Monaco – should be focussing on for the ongoing evaluations. They include confidentiality and data security as well as the effectiveness of the automatic exchange of information for tax purposes. The results of these evaluations will be published in 2025.

During this meeting, Monaco declared its intention to resume updating the Common Reporting Standard including the new Crypto-asset Reporting Framework (CDC).

For more information on this event and the OECD report, click on the link here.

 

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Photo of Lisbon credit Andreas Brucker, Unsplash 

 

 

Prince Albert II of Monaco’s first day at COP28 in pictures

Prince Albert II of Monaco used his time on stage at COP28 to call for “tangible and credible commitments” from all present at the global climate action summit, before meeting with other Heads of State and UN Secretary-General António Guterres for a series of conferences, discussions and photo calls. 

Prince Albert called on the many other Heads of State attending COP28 to make “tangible and credible commitments”. Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco /COP28 / Christopher Pike / Mahmoud Khaled 

Touching down in the UAE on Friday 1st December, fresh from a biodiversity and animal protection-focused trip to Malaysia and a brief visit to Singapore,  Monaco’s Prince Albert was welcomed to the first big day of COP28 events by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. 

Prince Albert II of Monaco is pictured centre with UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (right). Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco /COP28 / Christopher Pike / Mahmoud Khaled 

Shortly after, Prince Albert took to the stage to make a rousing speech in front of the numerous Heads of State and world leaders present, in which he called for “increased and rapid action to keep global temperature rises within the +1.5°C limit.

See more: Climate ambitions and oil realities on the table as COP28 begins 

Monaco’s sovereign also offered “the full support of the Principality of Monaco to the Emirati Presidency in order to make this conference a success crowned with tangible and credible commitments that will put us on the path to a low-carbon and climate-resilient way of development”. 

Prince Albert gave a speech to the world leaders gathered on the opening day of events at COP28 in Dubai. Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco /COP28 / Christopher Pike / Mahmoud Khaled 

Prince Albert later visited King Abdullah Shah of Malaysia at the nation’s dedicated Malaysian Pavilion space, before attending the Global Fund for Coral Reefs conference.  

Read related:

Prince Albert visits endangered species centres as he winds up first official visit to Malaysia

 

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Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco /COP28 / Christopher Pike / Mahmoud Khaled 

 

Wealth’s elite: Forbes reveals the 10 richest people in the world for 2023

In an era where innovation and business sectors reshape our world, the latest Forbes list of the wealthiest individuals offers a glimpse into the minds driving this transformation.  

Topping the list of “real time billionaires” is Elon Musk, with a net worth of $246.1 billion. Known for SpaceX, Tesla and Twitter, now known as X, his innovative approach and entrepreneurial skills have firmly established him as the wealthiest individual globally as of November 2023.  

Following Musk is Bernard Arnault, with a fortune of $191.9 billion. Arnault, the French business tycoon and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, oversees a vast empire encompassing 75 brands. His businesses have not only built a massive wealth, but also a significant influence in the luxury goods market. 

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, ranks third with a net worth of $166.6 billion. His transformation of a small startup in his garage into a global e-commerce giant is a testament to his visionary leadership and entrepreneurial spirit. 

Larry Ellison, the American business magnate and Oracle Corporation’s co-founder and CTO, holds the fourth spot with $146.4 billion. Ellison’s contributions to the tech industry have not only revolutionised the field, but also amassed him a substantial fortune. 

Warren Buffett, known as the ‘Oracle of Omaha,’ is fifth on the list with a net worth of $120.5 billion. As the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s investment strategies and business skills have made him one of the most successful investors in the world. 

Mark Zuckerberg, the brain behind Facebook, now Meta Platforms, is sixth with $119.3 billion. His influence on social media and technology innovation is undeniable and his hands continue to shape the digital landscape. 

Seventh is Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, with a net worth of $116.9 billion. Gates’ impact on the technology industry is profound, and his investments and philanthropic efforts continue to influence various sectors. 

Eighth on the list is Larry Page, the co-founder of Google and former CEO of Alphabet, with a net worth of $115.3 billion. Page’s contributions to the internet and technology have been pivotal in shaping the modern digital world. 

Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO and current owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, is ninth with a net worth of $111.5 billion. Ballmer’s leadership at Microsoft played a significant role in his wealth accumulation and his current status in the sports world. 

Rounding out the Top Ten is Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google and former president of Alphabet Inc., with a net worth of $110.6 billion. Brin’s innovations in internet search and advertising technologies have secured his position among the elite billionaires. 

To read the list for yourself, click here

 

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Photo source: Elon Musk / Instagram