Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

Rwanda: BAT Donates $10K to Needy Students

British American Tobacco, Rwanda (BAT) awarded over Rwf 5 million (about $10K) to twelve needy students at the Kigali Independent University(ULK): that is less than $1000 per student.

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

Nigeria: Ruling On N366 Billion Suit Against Tobacco Firms for March 6

Ola Ajayi writes about the conclusions of the parties.  Babatunde Irukera, counsel to ERA said, "the suit is about an industry that is killing people and they must take responsibility."

Source: AllAfrica

Mali: la contrebande de cigarettes alimente 65 % du marché

Un article de A.O. DIALLO dans l'Essor: Selon Remis Spriet, directeur technique de la SONATAM, la contrebande de cigarettes alimente 65 % du marché, soit un manque à gagner de 10 milliards Fcfa pour le Trésor public.
 Source: http://www.essor.gov.ml/

Mali: Le Ministre des Finances visite la SONATAM (Société nationale du tabac et allumette du Mali), le Ministre de la Santé discourt à l'OMS

Les préoccupations économiques de rentabilité et de lutte contre la contrebande sont au coeur de la visite, sans aucune mention des questions de santé publique. A rapprocher des résultats de l'enquête sur le tabagisme des jeunes au Mali (résultats en anglais seulement). Pendant ce temps le Ministre de la santé pontifie à Genève auprès de l'OMS: illustration des contradictions au sein d'un même gouvernement.
Source: L'Indépendant

Burkina: inculpation dans le cadre de la tentative d'assassinat d'un représentant de BAT

Le président directeur général du Groupe NESKO, Salif Koussouka Ouédraogo a été mis en examen par la juge d'instruction Rose Ouéadraogo suite à une tentative d'assassinat perpétrée sur le représentant de British American Tobacco ( BAT) au Burkina, Travaly Bandja, dans la nuit du 8 au 9 octobre 2008. Il est en prison depuis le 5 janvier. Une affaire qui suscite beaucoup d'intérêt.

La dépêche annonçant cette décision est fort brève en comparaison du long entretien dans lequel Salif Koussouka -qui doit bénéficier de la présomption d'innocence- dont l'entreprise NESKO détient aujourd'hui le monopole de diffusion de marques BAT au Burkina, s'explique.

Source: L'Observateur

Cameroun: British American Tobacco (Bat), a versé plus de 9 milliards Fcfa à la Douane en 2008.

Une soirée spéciale a été organisée à Douala lundi pour célébrer l'atteinte des objectifs de recettes de l'année 2008.Lorsqu'elle entreprend de s'adresser solennellement aux exportateurs, importateurs et autres commissionnaires agréés en Douane, la satisfaction se lit sur le visage de la Directrice générale des Douanes.

Source: www.lexpressplus.com

Tentative d'assassinat contre le patron de BAT au Burkina

Mais qui est le commanditaire?
Source: LeFaso.net

Nigeria: an opinion by Tayo Agunbiade about BAT, corporate social responsibility and tobacco control in Nigeria.

This interesting opinion by Tayo Agunbiade was published in This Day (Lagos).
Mrs. Tayo Agunbiade is a social development practitioner, radio presenter and weekly columnist with Thisday newspaper, one of Nigeria's leading national daily,
via AllAfrica.com

British American Tobacco in Sub Saharan Africa

A new website in development. I did not know they were present in Eritrea and so many other countries.

British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation funds solar panels to power water pump

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation takes corporate responsibility seriously.
Via All Africa .com

BAT launches a youth smoking "prevention" campaign in Zambia while the Government considers smoke-free public places

Zambia is considering smoke-free public and congratulating BAT for organizing a campaign intending to incite youth under 18 not to smoke.
Source: AllAfrica , Times of Zambia

BAT profits in Africa up 8 per cent from April to June

The overall growth in profits for BAT was 14%, 16% for the first half of 2008.
Source: The Telegraph

BAT in Africa

BAT blocks in court the implementation of the new tobacco control Act in Kenya

The high court in Nairobi has suspended the new law after an application by 2 firms Mastermind Tobacco and multinational British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya Limited until the matter is heard and determined, in a suit in which the attorney general and the public health ministry are named as defendants.

Source:Maina Waruru in Nairobi for Africanews

Uganda tobacco farmers win suit against BAT

BRITISH American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) has been ordered to pay over sh3b to tobacco farmers as compensation for failure to buy their crop.
As found on the blog of Jackie Tumwine :)

Duncan B versus BAT on YouTube

This short animated film posted on YouTube is a follow up on the film (posted on Google Video).
But it has no relationship with African kids smoking. It is using the film to support kids with cancer. Certainly a worthy cause but what about African children who smoke thanks to BAT?

The film about BAT is now accessible on line on Google Video

Under the new title "Exposed : Africa's Child Smokers" the documentary about BAT's strategy in Africa has been aired again this time on BBC World on 19th and 20th July.

It was shown on the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation national TV Channel 3 on the 20th of July at 11 pm.

You can also now watch it on line on Google video. But the file is big and the download slow. Let us hope for dvds, short segments on YouTube and maybe more media initiatives to counter BAT?

Africa's children and tobacco

The BBC 2 program will be aired on BBC World on July 19th and 20th.

About the BBC 2 program

Lucy thought Bannatyne was not aggressive enough. Here are the comments on the site of BAT.

Tobacco giant BAT 'breaks youth code' - BBC News

Bannatyne Takes on Big Tobacco on BBC 2  Channel Tue 1 Jul, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm  60mins

Duncan Bannatyne, multi-millionaire and the scourge of Dragons' Den, journeys to Africa to explore the rise in the number of kids smoking, and the activities of one tobacco company in particular.

He uncovers evidence of the extraordinary marketing tactics of BAT which he believes are encouraging kids to smoke. His sharp business brain forensically gathers the evidence and then confronts the company back in London.

But this is not just a hard hitting investigation, this is an emotional journey for Bannatyne. An ex-smoker himself, he loves Africa and in his travels he has a laugh with a tobacco grower, is teased by the dinner ladies at a school in Malawi where he helps to cook the dinner and he has to deal with the cockroach in his hotel room. He also meets kids as young as 11 who are not only smoking ten a day, but also trying to make a living selling cigarettes.

Gabon: BAT offre des points d'eau à deux villages

Le bureau Gabon du cigarettier British American Tobacco (BAT) a offert le 20 juin dernier, deux points d'eau aux populations de Santa Clara et de Akouengo, deux villages situés au nord de la capitale gabonaise.

Le Cameroun: un paradis pour la British American Tobacco?

Cet article signé Suzie De Larosière-Mbouangouore Limbepe a été publié dans le numéro 66 (30 juin 2007) du Bulletin de l'Alliance consacré à COP2.
La British American Tobacco est implantée au Cameroun comme dans beaucoup d’autres pays et a même une filiale, la BAT-CEMAC, qui couvre la région appelée la Communauté des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale. Face au contexte favorable dans lequel évolue cette multinationale, nous sommes en droit de nous demander si cette Afrique en miniature comme nous aimons à l’appeler n’est pas un paradis pour les compagnies de tabac.

Kano State Files Suit Against The Tobacco Industry

Kano State government has joined Lagos State to initiate a legal action against tobacco companies in Nigeria.

Source: This Day

BAT and the new law in Kenya

From a research paper published on line by Tobacco Control Journal under the title "The law was actually drafted by us but the Government is to be congratulated on its wise actions": British American Tobacco and public policy in Kenya.