Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

257 millions de francophones en Afrique Sub-Saharienne

Pos	Pays	Population
-	Pays Francophones d'Afrique Sub-Saharienne	257,642,909
1	RDCongo	68,692,542
2	Madagascar	20,653,556
3	Côte d'Ivoire	20,617,068
4	Cameroun	18,879,301
5	Burkina Faso	15,746,232
6	Niger	15,306,252
7	Sénégal	13,711,597
8	Mali	12,666,987
9	Guinée	10,957,975
10	Rwanda	10,473,282
11	Tchad	10,329,208
12	Burundi	8,988,091
13	Bénin	8,791,832
14	Togo	6,619,000
15	République Centrafricaine	4,511,488
16	Congo-Brazzaville	4,012,909
17	Mauritanie	3,129,486
18	Gabon	1,514,993
19	Maurice	1,284,264
20	Comores	752,438
21	Djibouti	516,055
22	Seychelles	87,476

Source: us census bureau 2009 by countries 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa#Demographics

Festival culturel panafricain d'Alger

Juste pour vous indiquer sa tenue et les pays qui y participent.

Gambia: smokers who cannot quit wish manufacturers stop producing cigarettes

Wishful thinking...
Source: AllAfrica and Foroyaa on line

Rwanda: according to Dr Agnes Binagwaho smoking prevalence is down

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho has revealed that the country's public consumption levels of tobacco have relatively gone down compared to the previous years.

Source: AllAfrica  See also the GYTS survey on our blog about Tobacco Prevalence in Africa

Rwanda: Public Tobacco Smoking Down – Minisante - AllAfrica
July 13, 2009

Angola: University leader praises new smoking ban, asks for more media campaigns

The Principal of Lusiadas University of Angola (ULA) Mário Pinto de Andrade, Thursday here has defended, a greater diffusion by the state-owned and private mass media of law against public smoking, approved in July, 1st by the Cabinet Council.

Source: Angolapress portal

Obama: l'avenir de l'Afrique appartient aux Africains

Un article publié dans Libération au sujet du discours prononcé par Obama à Accra: «Nous devons commencer par ce postulat simple: l'avenir de l'Afrique appartient aux Africains eux-mêmes». 

Obama a ravivé le grand slogan de sa campagne électorale victorieuse, "yes, you can"

Nigeria: Health minister, senators want ban on tobacco

Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin has described the economic argument for the production of tobacco in Nigeria as making nonsense of the risk it portends to the people.

Prof. Osotimehin, who stated this at an interactive dinner, organized by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora in conjunction with Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, to support the ‘National Tobacco Control Bill’, said the time has come for Nigeria to do everything possible to ban tobacco production in the country.

Source: article in the Daily Sun by AMOS DUNIA, reproduced in the Nigeria Tobacco Control Bill blog

President Obama about aid in an interview with AllAfrica.com before his trip to Ghana

We have chosen this part from the interview about the role of the internet and how the aid is sometimes spent:

"technology can play a very important role in streamlining our aid to countries, making sure that we're tracking how that aid is being applied, making sure that it's reaching the people it's intended to reach. One of the concerns that I have with our aid policy generally is that western consultants and administrative costs end up gobbling huge percentages of our aid overall. It seems to me that what we should be doing is trying to minimize our footprint and maximize the degree to which we're training people to do for themselves. So I think using the Internet, using software, using modern technology to improve delivery systems is important.

A report about illicit tobacco trade in South Africa contends industry is wrong: no link between higher taxes and illicit trade

A paper by South African economist Evan Blecher, now with the American Cancer Society, shows that by 2007, illicit trade accounted for up to seven per cent of the total market in South Africa.

However, the evidence shows that tobacco control policy has been successful and only partially undermined by illicit trade; consumption of tobacco products has continued declining while tax revenue has risen, thanks to sharply higher excise taxes.

The full report on pdf format (26 pages) 

Source: FCA Bulletin number 94, page 4 (pdf format)

Congo: création d'un comité national de lutte antitatabac

Un comité national de lutte antitatabac a été mis en place à Brazzaville le 22 juin, sous la haute autorité du Ministère de la Santé, des Affaires Sociales et de la Famille lors d'une réunion entre les Représentants des Ministères impliqués dans le contrôle de tabac (14), l'OMS pays et la société civile.

Un bureau de cinq (5) membres a été mis en place, avec un Commissariat aux comptes.
Source: Célestin Zouma

Angola: Government sets prohibition on smoking in various Places

The Government has announced a series of measures prohibiting smoking in various places.
Source: Angola Press

Pourquoi les francophones doivent répondre à l'appel d'offres de la Fondation Gates

Pourquoi est-il important que les pays Africains francophones s’unissent pour proposer une réponse à l’appel d’offres de la Fondation Gates visant à promouvoir la lutte antitabac en Afrique Sub-Saharienne, et comment un tel projet pourrait/devrait être organisé ?

 Il y a une vingtaine de pays francophones en Afrique Sub-Saharienne (voir la liste ci-dessous). Ils représentent environ 238 millions d’habitants, environ 30% de la population de la région.

Ce que les activistes antitabac francophones doivent savoir au sujet de l’appel d’offres (Letter of Inquiry) lancé par la Fondation Gates pour Promouvoir la lutte contre le tabagisme en Afrique Sub-Saharienne.

Cet appel d’offres (LOI) a été posté (en anglais exclusivement) sur le site de la Fondation le 1er juin 2009 et la date limite pour y répondre est le 6 juillet 2009. Nous offrons gracieusement cette traduction (qui n'a pas de valeur officielle) à nos lecteurs francophones qui ne maîtrisent pas assez la langue anglaise afin qu'ils puissent se faire une idée.

Cigarette smuggling into Ghana

CIGARETTE SMUGGLING INTO GHANA is an article by Issah Ali, Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), in the page 4 of the issue 88 of the FCA Bulletin (pdf) published sunday at the start of the INB3 conference in Geneva.

Angola: Government Sets Prohibition On Smoking in Public Places

The Cabinet Council approved Wednesday the decree establishing a ban on smoking in public places, as well as the creation of the Medical Emergency Institute of Angola.
Source: AllAfrica

Programmes antitabac financés par l'initiative Bloomberg en Afrique

Les montants des contrats passés sont maintenant mentionnés sur le site de CTFK.

En 2009, deux projets au Kenya ont reçu globalement $361.750
En 2008 deux projets au Burkina Faso ont globalement reçu $192.452, un projet au Tchad $64,125, tandis que la coalition de Tanzanie a reçu  $310,062 et l'Association des consommateurs en Zambie $88,770 (total pour 2008: 566.649)
En 2007, SOS Tabagisme Niger a reçu $94,900 et un projet au Nigeria $627,690 (total pour 2007: 722.590)

Exemples de publicités sur des véhicules à Conakry

Publicités ambulantes dans les rues de Conakry.

Extrait de l'excellent blog de Génération Sans tabac.

Radio Okapi raconte la journée mondiale sans tabac 2009 à Kinshasa

C'est sur leur site radiookapi.net, avec un nouveau design très élégant et efficace: mise en cause, l'insuffisance de moyens financiers pour la lutte antitabac. Egalement cet article qui exprime les inquiétudes des médecins.

INB3 starts on June 28

You can find more information on the FCA site.

Liste des participants.

African coutries and the ratification of the FCTC

The up to date list is on the FCA site.

Véronique Le Clézio: Les Organisations Africaines doivent répondre à la lettre d'intention de la Fondation Gates L’Afrique aux Africains ? YES WE CAN !!!

Véronique a communiqué via email le texte suivant:

Les Organisations Africaines doivent répondre à la lettre d'intention de la Fondation Gates

L’Afrique aux Africains ? YES WE CAN !!!

1. Après lecture attentive des termes de la lettre d'intention  -Letter Of Intent (LOI)-  nous pouvons regretter qu'elle ne soit pour le moment disponible qu'en anglais, il serait juste de faire une demande auprès de la Fondation Gates pour une traduction en français. Les activistes Africains doivent y répondre et prendre une responsabilité pleine et entière dès ce stade du processus. La LOI insiste à plusieurs reprises sur la nécessité d'impliquer les Africain(e)s et sur l'obligation de fournir une liste des organisations et personnes Africaines qui soutiennent la LOI.

Taux d'aphabétisation dans les pays Africains

Un article récent sur l'Afrique de l'Ouest

Statistiques Encarta

Nigeria: a new blog full of information, the Nigeria National Tobacco Control Bill Blog

Hosted on blogspot this new blog titled the Nigeria National Tobacco Control Bill is full of interesting infos.

Tobacco Atlas: compare how countries fare in tobacco control

Visiting the site of the Tobacco Atlas to inquire about its 2009 edition I find this really cool feature that allows you to compare how various countries fare in tobacco control. I am not sure the data are totally up to date (and many data just do not seem to exist for African countries) but it is still very useful.

Laduma! How could/should soccer and the world cup help promote a tobacco-free Africa

The French daily Le Monde interviews (in French) US author Peter Alegi about the role of soccer in South Africa and in the context of the upcoming world cup. Here is the reference to one of his books (in english). How can advocates make soccer and the world cup part of their communication strategy (like this initiative in Cameroon and Ivory Coast, in French)?

Sénégal: Interdiction de fumer dans les établissements scolaires

A l'occasion de la célébration de la journée sans tabac au Sénégal et grâce à un lobbying fort de l'ONG MAT-SENEGAL auprès du ministre de l'Education Nationale, celle-ci a réussi à obtenir la signature par le Ministre de la circulaire numéro 1266 du 16 Avril 2009 portant interdiction de fumer dans tous les établissements scolaires du Sénégal.
Source: Djibril Wélé dans le blog du MAT

la Fondation Gates envisage d'investir 7 millions de dollars supplémentaires sur 5 ans dans la lutte anti-tabac en Afrique Sub-saharienne

La Fondation Gates  annonce (en anglais uniquement) qu'elle souhaite recevoir des projets visant à renforcer la lutte anti-tabac en Afrique subsaharienne: le budget global sur 5 ans (à partir de 2010) pourrait atteindre 7 millions de dollars. Une somme substantielle. Mais qu'est-il advenu des 5 millions affectés en 2008 avec le même objectif au Centre de Recherches pour le Développement International?

Ci-dessous le texte (en anglais) de cet "appel d'offres"

The Gates Foundation offers up to $7 millions to promote tobacco control in Sub-Sahara Africa

The Gates Foundation is now asking (until July 6th) for projects aimed at promoting tobacco control in Sub-Sahara Africa with a global budget of $7 millions. There is no reference to what happened to the still on going project devoted to the same basic issues managed since 2008 by IDRC for a budget of $5+ millions.

When Jeune Afrique ignores the Gates Foundation (and IDRC)

The leading African magazine Jeune Afrique published (in French) a piece about l'Afrique malade du tabac, Africa sick of tobacco. It is an interesting presentation (planned around World No Tobacco Day) but it makes no mention of the $5 million grant provided to IDRC in december 2007 to promote tobacco control in Sub-Sahara Africa. We wrote to them to suggest they ask/look for more details.

Quand Jeune Afrique ignore la contribution de la Fondation Gates à la lutte antitabac

Jeune Afrique publie (mais je ne l'ai pas encore trouvée en ligne sauf cet article) une enquête intitulée L'Afrique malade du tabac.

En page 24 on peut y lire un commentaire sur les "bailleurs de fonds" qui n'apporteraient pas l'argent nécessaire pour financer la lutte contre le tabac, puis en page 25 on mentionne que c'est la Fondation Bloomberg qui finance le deuxième procès de SOS Tabagisme Niger contre un cigarettier.

Ghana: toward a Tobacco Control Bill

As a result of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) intensive advocacy and lobbying the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health; Hon Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, Parliament has expressed it readiness to pass a Tobacco Control Bill into a law to control tobacco in Ghana. Thanks to our partners (FCA, NCS, ATCRI and others) for supporting our efforts. We hope to pressure to get the Bill approve by Cabinet this month (June 2009), as stated by Hon Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey (Minister of Health) and presented to Parliament in July 2008.

Ghana: communique issued at the end of the national strategy meeting on the tobacco control bill

We, the Civil Society Organizations’ and representative of Government Agencies at the National Stakeholders Strategy Meeting on the ‘Tobacco Control Bill’ organized by the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) at M-Plaza Hotel in Accra, on June 9^th 2009. 

 

Alarmed by the spread of tobacco epidemic in Africa and its devastating effects on Ghana’s health, environment, economy and society;

Abidjan Blog Camps: Bringing Ivorians To Blogosphere.

The West African blogosphere is still a nascent community. In Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Togo, Liberia, and the Gambia it is difficult to find more than a handful of bloggers actively contributing to their country's online conversation.
In Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, a community of citizen media enthusiasts has begun to take shape around the Ivoire Blog platform. They discuss local politics, technology, and how the Ivory Coast is portrayed abroad. They are also now organizing a series of workshops to bring more Ivorians into their midst. A similar event took recently in Nigeria, but imagine if this movement spread throughout all of the region.

Source: Rising Voices

Cartes des pays avec des lois sur l'interdiction de fumer

Sur le site de globalsmokefreepartnership  mais pour le moment uniquement en anglais.

WHO: World No Tobacco Day 2009 Awards - the winners for Africa

Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of Special Director-General Awards and World No Tobacco Day Awards.

AFRO AWARDEES

• Dr Umar Aliyu Moddibo, Former Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
• Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), South Africa
• M. Ndanina Aimé, Président de l’association, Association Burundaise de Lutte contre le Tabagisme, Burundi
• M. Daouda Elhadj Adam, Secrétaire Général, Association pour la Défense des Droits des Consommateurs (ADC), Tchad
• Latrikunda Upper Basic School, Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education, Gambia
• Dr Lansana Sandry Camara, Secrétaire exécutif, Association Guinéenne de Lutte contre le Tabagisme (AGLT), Guinée

Rachel Kitonyo's Acceptance Speech for the 2009 Judy Wilkenfeld Award International Tobacco Control Excellence

Picture Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Ever since I was a child, I have always known that I want to be a lawyer.

Lawyers to me then were this characters that I saw on TV who were glamorous, savvy, sweet talking people that I longed to emulate.

Somewhere inside me also was a passion for justice but the glamour came first

But there are defining moments in one’s life – moments that change the course of one’s path through life irrevocably. I would like to share three such moments with you.

Kenya: KATOGA Secretary beaten up by tobacco buying company representative

The alliance one Tobacco buying manger thoroughly beat the executive secretary of Kenya Anti Tobacco Growing Association (KATOGA) as he was leading the media to interview the tobacco farmers at Bware market infront of the camera men and tobaco farmers.

Source: KETCA (KEnya Tobacco Control Alliance)

Nouveau Conseil d'Administration du Réseau Impact

Toutes nos félicitations et nos voeux de réussite à cette nouvelle équipe.
Source: le blog d'Impact.

A question worth asking: is IDRC wisely spending the $5.274.477 it received from the Gates Foundation to promote tobacco control in Africa?

The Canadian group IDRC manages from Ottawa (since January 2008) a $5 million + budget provided by the Gates Foundation to promote tobacco control in Sub-Sahara Africa. What do YOU think of their performance?

This is a lot of money for a 2 year grant.By far the biggest grant even targeted at this issue in this region.

If you had to invest $5 million in tobacco control in SubSahara Africa what would your program look like? Would it look like IDRC's with its 12 projects?

What is $5 million? It is 50 times the $100K that Bode just received as a Bloomberg Award, or 100 projects at 50K or 500 projects at 10K or 1000 projects at 5K or any combination of them.

How many projects and people is IDRC supporting with $5.274.477?

Malawi: tobacco growers in tears

This article in National News about the low prices paid to tobacco growers.

Zimbabwe: people smoke their problems away, says the CEO of fast growing Savanna Tobacco company

From this article in the Harare's Financial Gazette via AllAfrica.com.

Ghana: President Mills urged to pass the national tobacco control bill

The Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development [VALD], Mr. Issah Ali has urged President John Evans Atta Mills to strongly recommend to his office to facilitate the process of presenting the Draft National Tobacco Control Bill to Parliament for passage into law, in order  to help protect  the health of the children, pregnant women and vulnerable groups in the country. 

Source: Anna Duker on the VALD's blog

So little content available on line about the 14th World Conference

I just visited the blog the organizers had opened and only 2 posts were published during the conference. As I wrote in a comment that will (or will not) be published, this is a sad example of how the tobacco control community continues to ignore web2.0 tools: no blogs, no podcasts. The main site of the conference also remained very poor, basically limited to the program short abstracts, ie the strict minimum.

That such a conference was unable to employ (or attract) any web journalist that could have provided fresh and original news is quite shocking considering the level of funding one can imagine was involved in financing this event.

Kenya: hausse des ventes et des bénéfices (+ 22%) pour BAT

Le cigarettier British American Tobacco annonce une hausse de 22% de son bénéfice pour l’année 2008. Le résultat est soutenu par une hausse des ventes et un contrôle des dépenses.

Le chiffre d’affaires pour la même période s’est établi à 1,7 milliard Sh (21,3 millions $), contre 1,39 milliard Sh un an plus tôt.

Source: Les Afriques.com

Akinbode Oluwafemi receives a Bloomberg Tobacco Control Award on behalf of Friends of the Earth Nigeria at the World Conference

FOE Nigeria received the $100K Award for its contribution to monitoring and fighting tobacco industry activities.

Source: ATCRI

An emerging trend for improved governance and transparency in Aid funding

There is an emerging trend in Africa for improved governance and transparency in Aid funding as noted in the blog Governance Matters edited by the World Bank.

See also Publish what you fund,  the Global Campaign for Aid transparency and the International Aid Transparency Initiative.

What do YOU think?

Ghana: tobacco control meeting in Accra

An article about this meeting.
Source: Ghana News Agency

South Africa: Companies are required by law to have a dedicated 'smoking room'

Ricly Mpntalbano explains why it is in fact illegal to smoke in any place other than in a designated smoking area according to The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act No 83 of 1993.
Source: IOL

Sénégal: 10% des filles fument à l'école

Un article du Soleil publié le 12 février soit après la hausse des taxes mais qui n'y fait pas référence.

Nigeria: Senate Deputy Minority Leader Adeleke Mamora MD sponsors a tobacco control bill

This article from The Daily Sun.