Professor John Evans Atta-Mills, former Vice President and an aspiring NDC flag bearer, has been invited by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to the third inter-regional workshop on taxation to be held in Brasilia, Brazil, from December 3 to 5, 2002.

A statement in Accra said he would make a presentation at the workshop, which is a follow-up to the UN's Monterrey Consensus.

It said the workshop was being organised by the UN in association with the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administration (CIAT) and the government of Brazil.

Professor Attar-Mills would be the only African among the tax experts who would be making presentations on "Strengthening International Tax Cooperation" from Canada, India, Chile, The Netherlands, Jamaica and Bolivia. Other speakers are from Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Columbia, Mexico, Guatemala, the IMF and the World Bank.

Meanwhile, Prof Atta-Mills has been appointed as a "Distinguished Senior Associate of the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues" in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada. The appointment, which was for a maximum of three years, beginning September 1,2002, did not require residency in Canada.

Prof Mills would live in Ghana to conduct his presidential campaign but would travel periodically to Canada and elsewhere to fulfil the responsibilities of the appointment.

A citation signed by Frieda Granot, Dean of Graduate Studies of the University said, "Your contributions to Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues have been enormous.

You have created awareness in Canada of current African issues and advised public policy on the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

We are all enriched by your willingness to take your message across the country about this new partnership and Canada's role in it. Given this extraordinary contribution, we are grateful that you would continue to work together with us to see NEPAD implemented by monitoring and advising on it for Canada and other international stakeholders".

It expressed the hope that Prof Mills would highlight and help develop opportunities for the Centre to contribute to West Africa and Ghana with regards to NEPAD, governance, peace and security, in particular. The statement, added that, scholars in the Centre would be happy to work on publications with him.