The CRES has hosted in Dakar a three day workshop (February 22-24) on tobacco taxation in West Africa. Among the participants, Evan Blecher (ACS), Sylviane Ratte (Union), Ebeh Kodjo (ATCA), Noureiny Tcha Kondor (African Consortium), Greg Hallen (IDRC).
Methodological Workshop on the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa
Methodological Workshop on the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa Diarama Hotel Ngor, Dakar, 22-24 February 2011
CRES organized in Dakar, a methodological workshop that will develop and implement a research program on tobacco taxation in West Africa in partnership with organizations in tobacco control in general, research institutions and administration of the countries involved in the particular study. The overall objective is to develop a proposal for a multicenter research focuses on promoting the policy of taxation as a weapon in the fight against smoking. As for specific objectives, they aim to:
- Discuss the current situation of national and regional tobacco control in general and taxation of tobacco products in particular the effectiveness of the fight).
- Define the institutional framework of the study on the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa;
- Amend / improve the problem and the objectives of the research on the taxation of tobacco products in the subregion;
- Define the most appropriate methodology for the study;
- To determine the profiles / national team members may participate in research;
- Identify potential funding partners for the research proposal.
CRES has prepared a first draft of research on the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa. It served as a working document. The participatory approach applied led all participants to amend and appropriate its different parts.
The work is divided into three subgroups consisting of statisticians, activists, financiers, economists and researchers.The aim is es'assurer diversity and a good representation of different disciplines to meet the different types of expertise needed to complete the study in groups.
Some target participants based on their skills have made presentations on the first day (Tuesday 22). This is particularly Mr Evan Blecher (Economist, International Tobacco Control Research, American Cancer Society, Inc.. - ACS), Ms. Sylviane Ratte (Technical Officer, Tobacco Control of Tuberculosis and International Union Against Lung Disease), Mr. Noureiny Tcha-KONDOR (Coordinator programming CH, ATCA), Mr. Salifou Tiemtoré (Programme Officer Public Finance and Taxation, Customs Directorate ECOWAS), Mr. Greg Hallen (Program Manager, Research for the global fight against tobacco IDRC ) Dr Abdul Aziz KASSE (Doctor Oncologist at Hospital A. Ledantec Dakar).
After the opening ceremony chaired by the Pr Abdoulaye Diagne, Executive Director of CRES, Dr. Greg and Dr. Hallenl Ebeh. A. Kodjo Fabrizio, Director ATCA, followed by the presentation of objectives and expected outcomes of the workshop by Prye Diagne, participants listed above have developed the following themes:
- Regional policies in the taxation of tobacco
- The complications of smoking and the expenses they generate (state / society)
- Hospital costs of care for tobacco-related diseases: the case of Senegal and the sub-region
- The experiences of taxation on tobacco control
- Experience of France in the taxation of tobacco
At its end, the workshop should lead to:
- The establishment of the state of play on the regional policy of taxation
- Sharing the inventory on the prevalence of smoking and expenditures it generates
- Setting objectives of the study
- The definition of research methodology
- Identification of national teams
-the establishment of a partnership with national and regional
- Development of the research program and a validation for its implementation;
- The identification of target partners results
- Identification of financiers.
Several institutions are involved in this important workshop: Research Group in Applied and Theoretical Economics (GREAT), the Center for Studies, Documentation, Economics and Social Research(CEDAR), the Graduate School of Human Sciences and Society, Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), the Department of Economics and Management, University of gambia, the laboratory of Economy of Togo, the World Bank, SOS Tabagisme Niger, the Anti-Tobacco (MAT - Senegal), etc..
The opportunity will be seized to create a network of researchers in the field of tobacco control beyond the participants. The main objective will be to provide data that can be used as arguments in tobacco control.
The media have extensively covered the event.
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