Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

Nonguebzanga Maxime Compaoré is a new FCA board member (representing the EURO region)

My name is Nonguebzanga Maxime Compaoré. I’m a citizen of Norway with roots in Burkina Faso, West Africa. I am privileged to be an FCA Board member representing the EURO Region. 
For the last four years, I have worked as a Special Advisor for International Affairs at the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS). I am tasked with liaising with NCS’s partners, and coordinating the organisation’s international partnership projects and activities.

(from the FCTC site)

Looking back at the African news stories published in 2014 on the FCTC' site

Six posts concern Africa in the news published on the FCTC's site (I have included one published in December 2013).
Let us start with December 11 2013 about the tax hike in Niger, then in 2014 there are posts on March 16 about the new law passed in Senegal, on April 14 about the AFRO Shadow report for Senegal, on May 14 about a training workshop in Madagascar, on May 29 about a Voice of America program titled Why is smoking increasing in Africa, on November 1st about Hellen Neima (from Uganda) participating in COP 6. Looking for more I did not find anything else but I noticed this post of November 2013 about the 2012 African shadow reports wit the title: Lack of political will, awareness... The more things change... and this interesting one also of November 2013 about Uganda and Tobacco Industry Interference.

FCTC 2013 Africa Shadow Reports

FCTC 'Shadow Reports" provide a real picture of the situation in each country. As you'll see implementation is often a problem.

WHO FCTC reporting and implementation database

Here allows you to read the implementation reports, county by country.

How much money does ANCE (Togo) need?

Reading an updated version (9/23/2013) of an interview with the Executive Director of the Alliance Nationale des Consommateurs et de l'Environnement (ANCE), Mr Ebeh Kodjo, who is also Secretary of ATCA, and an FCA board member (until december 31, 2013) the main problem seems to be funding. Nothing new? Except that ANCE has been one of the groups that received significant funding (the last CTFK grant awarded in Dec 2012 was for $152K+ while 54K had been awarded in January 2012) so how much is now needed, what happened to the previous grants, is any detailed budget explaining where the money went-goes available? Those questions are especially important when the Gates Foundation is looking for the next organization to coordinate their tobacco control efforts in Africa and ATCA could be a candidate.

Monitoring team thwarts tobacco industry interference in Uganda (from FCTC.org)

ATCA's Patrick Musavuli discusses tobacco industry monitoring. (c) Tih Ntiabang

From FCTC.org

A specially trained team of tobacco control advocates has prevented the tobacco industry from getting a suggested tobacco tax increase in Uganda reduced.

The Ministry of Finance had proposed increasing Uganda’s excise tax duty on cigarettes by 45.5 percent in the 2013-14 budget. When the matter was discussed in Parliament’s Finance Committee, the industry submitted a petition calling for an increase of just 11.4 percent.

$ 84,962 for an Anglophone Lawyers Seminar in Addis Ababa

Recent grant noted on the Bloomberg Initiative website: $84,962 for The Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) to support a 5-day Seminar for English-speaking African lawyers in Addis Ababa on the FCTC and the drafting and implementation of effective tobacco control legislation.

FCA trains African NGOs in shadow reporting

See the information as posted on the site of the FCTC about the shadow report training that took place in Dakar on March 7-8, 2013.

One more big meeting: is it the most effective strategy?

ACS + WHO Afro and all the usual main donor organizations have brought together representatives of 22 countries to share their tobacco control experience and expertise. They met for 2 days. What was achieved? At what cost? What was achieved at the various previous similar meetings? Is this the most effective strategy? When will the next meeting take place? At what cost? With what results? Beside a significant budget for travel and hospitality?

Ghana must speed up legislation on tobacco

That's according to Patricia Lambert, during a special workshop in tobacco control in South Africa.

Togo: the National Assembly votes the tobacco control act

On december 29 the new tobacco control act has been approved by the National Assembly. Details are available (in English) on the site of the NGO, ANCE- Pour un Togo Sans tabac.

Lutgard Kagaruki's acceptance speech of the 2010 WHO Award

Lutgard delivers a very interesting speech (Google Doc) focusing on the fate of tobacco farmers and how they can develop alternative crops along with a detailed analysis of the tobacco industry strategy.

ITGA (International Tobacco Growers Association) against implementation of articles 9, 10, 17 and 18 of FCTC

ITGA claims WHO is out of touch with the situation of tobacco farmers with a prospective ban of the use of ingredients other than tobacco in cigarette production.

Source: Press Release

COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) opposed to FCTC guidelines 9, 10, 17 and 18

From The East African

The COMESA site.

Botswana: toward a Tobacco Products Bill to replace the 1992 Control of Smoking Act

From the Botswana Gazette.

Ivory Coast has ratified FCTC on August 13

Here is a link to the Circular Notification communicating the ratification by Cote d'Ivoire of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Convention will be effective on November 11, 2010.

Melodie Tilson (Non Smoker's Rights Association - Canada) about IDRC

This email from Melodie Tilson of the Non Smoker's Rights Association provides an update about the way IDRC dealt with Barbara McDougall's conflict of interest and the demands from the international tobacco control community that she resigns her position as IDRC's Chair.

Dear colleagues:

First of all I would like to thank all of you who responded to the request for help and wrote letters to the IDRC Board of Directors calling for the resignation of the Chair, Barbara McDougall, because she had until March 31 of this year also served on the board of Imperial Tobacco Canada. 

Questions/Réponses avec Pascal Bogui, récipiendaire de la médaille 2010 de l'OMS

TCA a interrogé via email les récipiendaires de la médaille de l'OMS pour l'année 2010. Voici les réponses que nous a envoyées Pascal Bogui. Vous pourrez voir que Pascal ne mâche pas ses mots en ce qui concerne son apprécaition de la situation en Côte d'Ivoire. A ce propos nosu restons toujours sans réponse du représentant de la Côte d'Ivoire à l'ONU quant à sa non transmission de l'intrument de ratification du traité anti-tabac.

Tobacco Control in Africa écrit au Ministre des Affaires Etrangères de Côte d'Ivoire

Après avoir interrogé directement la Mission permanente de la Côte d'Ivoire auprès des Nations Unies ainsi que le service des nations Unies chargé de la gestion des opérations de ratification des traités, ce dernier nous a confimé qu'aucune démarche n'avait été entreprise -à ce jour- en ce qui concerne la transmission des instruments de ratification de la Convention Cadre par la Côte d'Ivoire. La mission permanente ne nous a pas (encore?) répondu.

Nous avons donc écrit au Ministre des Affaires Etrangères, M. Jean-Marie KACOU GERVAIS, via un formulaire électronique pour recueillir son avis sur la question. Lire la lettre ci-dessous.

La réaction de l'Alliance pour le Contrôle du Tabac en Afrique à l'annonce par la Fondation Gates de la rupture de son contrat avec le CRDI

Le communiqué de presse est disponible ici (format pdf). Il n'évoque pas le sort des contrats en cours dont un contrat avec l'Alliance jusqu'en septembre? Que va-t-il advenir de ces contrats? Qui va gérer les sommes non affectées (s'il en reste), qui va se charger de réaliser une évaluation indépendante et complète de la manière dont le CRDI a utilisé les fonds de la Fondation Gates alors qu'à peine 30% ont servi à financer une poignée de projets?

VISA-Mauritius President, Véronique Le Clézio announces VISA will not attend the IDRC meeting in Dakar

Véronique Le Clézio commends ATCA's decision not to attend the meeting and seconds it by announcing the Mauritian NGO will not go to Dakar, stating that  "IDRC, the organizer of this meeting of Dakar has hidden for years the real identity of its Chair Ms McDougall who was CSR at BAT... IDRC is totally disqualified for tobacco control and for any health and poverty reduction agenda."

ATCA (Africa Tobacco Control Alliance) disengages from IDRC meeting in Dakar, calls for a boycott from its members because of IDRC's compromission with tobacco industry.

ATCA's Board has decided on April 6 not to co-host the IDRC meeting planned for April 20/22 in Dakar: ATCA's Board members will not participate and call all their members to boycott the meeting as well.

This information is not posted -yet- on ATCA's website nor on the ATCRI-ATSA site.

ATCA's borad members are: Rachel Kitonyo (Kenya) President, Patricia Lambert (South Africa), Patrick Musavuli (DRC), Yussuf Salooje (South Africa), Mohamed Sidi (Burkina Faso), Issa Ali (Ghana), Francisco Cabo (Mozambique)

Dear ATCA members,

As many of you are aware, the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has been cohosting the Africa Tobacco Control Situational Analysis (ATSA) final meeting to be held in Dakar, Senegal between April 20-22, 2010.

During the final stages of planning, however, it was brought to our notice, that the Chair of the IDRC Board, Ms Barbara McDougall is also a Director of Imperial Tobacco Ltd, a Canadian subsidiary of British American Tobacco Ltd.

This situation poses a conflict of interest for ATCA on the basis of Art 4.1 of the ATCA Constitution, which expressly prohibits ATCA or its members from having any affiliation, whether direct or indirect, with the tobacco industry.

The situation also contravenes Art 5.3 of the FCTC and the guidelines adopted thereunder.

To date, the ATCA Board has taken the following actions to try and deal with the situation:

Consultations with FCA, ATCRI and Canadian NGOs involved in tobacco control.

A formal letter to IDRC drawing their attention to the issue and asking them to resolve it. (This letter was copied to you)

A follow-up phone call with the Head of Programmes at RITC (Greg

Hallen) and the head of the Health Equity Programme under which RITC falls (Michael Clarke).
E-mail and other consultations with ATSA Country team leaders.
A further letter to IDRC dated 1st April 2010 asking for a postponement of the Dakar meeting until the issue is resolved. (This letter was also copied to you.)

Following an email notification to the ATSA group on 2nd April 2010 by IDRC that they would proceed with the meeting, the ATCA Board on Tuesday April 6, 2010, has unanimously adopted the decision N°0002/ATCA/04/10 of April 6, 2010 as follows:

1) THAT ATCA officially withdraws from co-hosting the ATSA final consultation in Dakar, Senegal with all the ATCA Board members> withdrawing from participating in the meeting;
2) THAT in light of the provisions in Article 4.1 of ATCA’s constitution, the Board urges all ATCA members not to participate in the meeting.

We thank all our members for bearing with us as we came to this difficult but necessary decision. We appreciate our members’ efforts in carrying out tobacco control in Africa, and in particular for their efforts to promote the implementation of Article 5.3 of the FCTC.

As your Board, we are committed to promoting the implementation of the FCTC in Africa, supporting you in your efforts to do so and in working with others of a like mind.
Together, the fight continues.

On behalf of the ATCA board,
Ebeh Kodjo Fabrice, Executive Secretary

List of Tobacco control advocates attending INB4 in Geneva

Here it is (pdf format), pages 25 and 26 and below (in yellow 10 or so African advocates).

Article 5.3 of the FCTC on the protection of public policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry

Another nail in the coffin of Barbara McDougall as Chair of IDRC and Director of Imperial Tobacco Canada: the Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC. International obligations the Canadian Government should respect.

Discours de Margaret Chan, Directeur Générale de l'OMS à l’occasion du cinquième anniversaire de l’entrée en vigueur de la Convention-cadre de l’OMS pour la lutte antitabac

Une critique en règle de l'industrie du tabac.

Tosin Orogun joins Africa News

Tosin Orogun posted this article on Africa News. This is his first contribution to this network of African reporters. it is about Margaret Chan's speech for the FCTC's 5th anniversary. She said: "Like my predecessors, I am not on speaking terms with the tobacco industry, but I will say this: we've come a long way, bullies." 

Rendez-vous with Vinayak Prasad, Senior Adviser for WHO's Africa initiative

Rendez-vous with Vinayak Prasad, Senior Adviser for WHO's Africa initiative (this cyberinterview was initially produced for the blog Rendez-vous)

Thank you Vinayak for taking the time to be with us today.

May I ask you to introduce yourself by giving us some background (educational, professional) information about yourself and by telling us how, when and why you got involved in tobacco control.

Vinayak Prasad: : Let me thank you for giving me this opportunity to discuss the WHO project for Africa. My Background: I joined the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative in Dec 2009 to work on the Gates Africa project.

I was working with the Government of India for the past 20 years in different capacities in the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health. Some of my initial years were spent in working with Indian Customs, working on trade facilitation and strengthening capacity to tackle illicit trade.

Tunisia: ratification of the FCTC

The Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Feburary 9, during a plenary session held under the chairmanship of Speaker Mr. Foued Mebazaa, a draft bill providing for Tunisia’s ratification of the World Health Organization (WHO) convention aiming at fighting against smoking.

Source: Tunisiaonlinenews

Reporting on the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Each country that signed the FCTC has tu submit regular reports about the way the treaty is implemented. WHO is collecting the reports and making them available on line. Unfortunately the documents are on a pdf format that makes them much less user-friendly. Still it is worth visiting and it would be worth having comments by advocates about their assessment of the situation in their country. For instance I read the report (in French) about Cameroon and I wonder what our friends from Cameroon think about it.

Ghana: We need a tobacco control law

This article by Jeorge Wilson Kingson of the Media Alliance on Tobacco Control was published January 21 on Ghana Web.

Côte d'Ivoire: qui bloque la ratification de la convention cadre de l'OMS pour la lutte contre le tabac?

Selon les activistes ce serait le secrétariat général de la présidence de la République.
A suivre.
Info transmise par Mohamed Sidi. (Source: Abidjan.net )

Par ailleurs le Pr Pascal Bogui, cité dans l'article nous a fait parvenir la mise au point suivante:

"Il y a une mauvaise interprétation de mes chiffres.
J'ai dit que le coût du traitement et de la prise en charge correcte des maladies induites par le tabagisme s'élèverait à 28 Milliards par an en Côte d'Ivoire, ce qui ne signifie pas que l'Etat dépense une telle somme."

2010. Who is going to monitor what's happening in tobacco control in Africa?

2010 just started.  Who is going to monitor what's happening in tobacco control in Africa? Who is going to keep asking for more information and transparency from the organizations and people who distribute and receive millions to promote this cause? Until now they have chosen to operate silently and secretly without providing any regular and substantial account of their activities (see our upcoming review of their very limited reporting on line). 
TCA is convinced that the requirements for transparency and accountability will sometimes become the norm but it will take many more people protesting and asking for those very basic and fundamental principles to be adopted and implemented.
As for now, the more it changes, the more the it remains the same.
Good luck and best wishes for a happy new year to all who share those ideals. 

FCA Africa, annual report for 2009 by Adeola Akinremi

This report about the activities of FCA in Africa in 2009 was sent by Adeola Akinremi.

The Framework convention Alliance has gone through phases of development and progress in its campaign through the years and your active support through these stages have been key to FCA success in Africa.

As we enter the twilight of 2009 I have reviewed our activities through the year and in this document I attempt to provide you all an overview of what FCA has done in Africa in 2009 and keep you informed about direction (in which several of you have made input) for 2010.

STRATEGIC PLAN 2010-2012

FCA is currently reviewing its operational plan globally to align with the reality of its campaign focus and direction for the coming years. That has made it necessary for the organization staff member with active involvement of Board representatives and members (through responses to survey from each region) to identify five (5) strategic priorities as follows:

a) Promote and support tobacco control through the development and implementation of the FCTC, its protocols and guidelines as a global health priority.

b) Strengthen and influence the FCTC process

c) Mobilize and strengthen the regional and local civil society capacity in support of FCTC

d) Monitor the implementation of the FCTC, its guidelines and protocols

e) Strengthen FCA institutional capacity to enable it to meet the strategic priorities.

This operational plan is still work in progress and the final documents will be released when finalized.

ILLICIT TRADE PROTOCOL NEGOTIATION

As you know, the negotiations on the Illicit Trade Protocol are moving forwards with progress recorded after the two Drafting Groups met in Geneva. During the Drafting Group 1 & 2, Rachel Kitonyo, a lawyer and Board Chair of Africa Tobacco Control Alliance represented Africa alongside other experts from other regions.

The critical issue of supply chain and enforcement (including offences and penalties) was considered. The first meeting took place from 30th September to 2nd October, and the second was held from 23rd to 25th November.

RESOURCES AND CAPACITY

To enhance its activities in Africa in 2010 FCA is a member of ACS-led consortium grant proposal currently under review by the funder. The outcome of this proposal will be available online when it is ready.

The grant proposal, if successful will be useful to advance tobacco control in Africa.

FCA SHADOW REPORTING PROJECT

In 2010 FCA will produce National and global shadow report in an attempt to hold government accountable to their obligation under the FCTC.

In Africa the countries where these shadow report will focus are: Ghana, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya and Seychelles being a part of the first 40 countries to ratify FCTC.

INB4

The fourth and expectedly last meeting of negotiating body on illicit trade in tobacco product will be held in March 2010. The success of this meeting is critical to the future of other protocols to be developed within the FCTC.

Therefore, this time calls for close relationship with government delegates to give them quality information about the need to have a successful INB4 ahead of time. There are policy documents being developed and will be shared with you on a continuous basis.

COP 4 AND NEW GUIDELINES

The fourth conference of the parties will be held in November 2010 in Uruguay and Guidelines on major articles of the FCTC will be on the table for discussion and decision.

The guidelines for decision include:

o Art 9&10 Regulation & Disclosure o Art 12 Education o Art 14 Cessation o Art 17 &18 Alternative Livelihoods To achieve intended success, your active support at country level in engaging your delegates will be a direct booster to the adoption of strong guidelines during COP 4.

FCTC RATIFICATION IN STRATEGIC PRIORITY COUNTRIES‍

FCA will provide effective support for national Ratification campaigns in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Mozambique in 2010. The contribution of members and active involvement of countries that have ratified will be key to these ratifications.

COMMUNICATION It is a strategic objective for FCA as a whole in 2010 to improve its communications with members, and engage them more effectively in FCTC-focussed campaigns. Whilst there are over 110 FCA members in the African region, only a minority of these are active in the FCA campaigns.

We therefore look forward to your active national network as a part of this process in 2010.

In Africa we have plan to expand the reach of membership in Southern African countries and activates more members on other sub region. Your active support in suggesting organizations with active interest in tobacco control to the Regional Coordinator will help greatly in identifying organization with genuine interest. Also, communications are being developed around the campaigns for the adoption of strong guidelines on the above articles and your active contribution to Africa specific messages to be developed and campaign materials for outreach will be appreciated.

LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED SEED GRANTS IN 2009

The Norwegian Cancer Society has provided financial support for FCA activities in including seed grants.

In 2009 a total of 10 organizations have received seed grants for various projects as listed below.

1 People's Health Movement (PHM), Gabon 2009 $5,000

2 Vision for Alternative Development Ghana 2009 $ 5,000

3 Campaign For Tobacco-free Youths Nigeria 2009 $ 5,000

4 Association Life Cameroon 2009 $ 5,000

5 Africa Tobacco Control Alliance Togo 2009 $10,000

6 Alliance Nationale des Consommateurs et de l’Environnement (ANCE) Togo 2009 $ 5,000

7 ONG Initiative pour l’Education et le Contrôle du Tabagisme Benin 2009 $ 5,000

8 Association Vie et Santé (AVIS) Sénégal 2009 ????

9 Association de Lutte Contre le Tabagisme en Afrique (LUCTAF) DRC Congo 2009 $10,000

10 Club Universitaire Unesco pour la Lutte Contre la Drogue Cote d’ivoire 2009 $8, 000

11 Visa Mauritius Mauritius 2009 ????

Note : The fund for Association Vie et Sante (Avis) and Visa Mauritius are still under consideration.

WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2009

Here.

CTFK's Matt Myers assesses global tobacco control

Matt Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids that is a key component of the Bloomberg Initiative comments on the recent WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2009. He notes that most governments are falling short in implementing the policies required by the international tobacco control treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. 

African Lawyers Meet in Nairobi to Build Alliance for Tobacco Control Legislations

 On October 22d a Legal Workshop for Tobacco Control Lawyers in Africa opened in Nairobi with over 50 lawyers from 32 countries present. The workshop, which is jointly organized by the International Legal Consortium at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) is providing the platform for discussing common concerns and issues related to tobacco control in Africa, sharing information on effective tobacco control legislation in Africa and shaping the goals, objectives and activities of the Lawyers network.

Source: ATCRI

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.

African coutries and the ratification of the FCTC

The up to date list is on the FCA site.

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.

Mauritius Island: Graphic warnings to figure on cigarette packs sold in Mauritius from June 1st 2009

From the blog of Véronique Le Clézio (with all our congratulations):

The new amendments to the tobacco law and the 8 graphic warning images were presented to the media during a press conference at the Ministry of Health today, the 12th of February 2009.

 

These graphic warnings will figure on the cigarette packs sold in Mauritius as from the 1st of June 2009. Mauritius will then be the first country in Africa to implement article 11, with a world record of 65% of the surface of the pack!

 

This is the result of the earnest collaboration and hard work of ViSa and the Ministry of Health, and also thanks to the excellent help and support of the FCA.

Cameroun: un atelier réunit des responsables officiels de l'organisation de la lutte contre le tabac

Au Cameroun, 60% des fumeurs ont moins de 20 ans, a appris la PANA au cours d'un atelier de validation d'un avant- projet de loi anti-tabac et d'un document de politique de lutte contre le tabagisme, ouvert conjointement, mardi à Yaoundé, par les ministres de la Santé publique, André Mama Fouda et son homologue du Commerce, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.

Source: PANA transmise par Susie Mbouangouore. TCA note sur ce point l'absence apparente de représentant(e)s de la société civile lors de cet atelier. En tout cas ils ne sont pas cités.

What Tobacco Free Senegal thinks about the recent cigarette tax hike

According to the Dakar based NGO Tobacco Free Senegal (Mouvement Anti-Tabac du Sénégal) this tax increase will benefit Philip Morris and there is still much to do for the Government to implement effective tobacco control policies: make sure the tax increase will not be compensated by the manufacturers, organize mass media prevention campaigns and provide more support for NGOs when the prevention budget remains very small compared to the tobacco taxes collected and the advertising and promotional campaigns sponsored by the industry. 

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY 2009 Theme: Tobacco Health Warnings

The World Health Organization (WHO) selected "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for the next World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on 31 May 2009.

Tobacco health warnings appear on packs of cigarettes and are among the strongest defenses against the global epidemic of tobacco.

WHO particularly approves of tobacco health warnings that contain both pictures and words because they are the most effective at convincing people to quit. Such pictorial warnings appear in more than a dozen countries.

Burkina Faso: il faut appliquer la convention cadre FCTC

Ce mercredi lors d'un point de presse, l'Association "Afrique  contre le tabac" (ACONTA) a appelé le gouvernement du Burina Faso à mettre en application les textes de la convention-cadre de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) contre le tabac, textes que le pays a ratifiés en juillet 2006.

Source: www.french.xinhuanet.com

Nigeria: BAT's CEO against the FCTC guidelines

'Strict Regulation May Encourage Illegal Tobacco Trade' according to British American Tobacco's Chief Executive, Paul Adams. He has warned that important efforts by governments to reduce the health impact of tobacco could go badly wrong and give illegal and often irresponsible traders and importers of tobacco an avenue to make money, while putting lives at extreme risk.
Source: AllAfrica

Le Gabon fait un pas vers la ratification de la CCLAT

Présenté par le Ministre des Affaires Etrangères et de la  Coopération, Madame Laure Olga NGONDJOUT,  à l’Assemblée nationale le mardi 07 octobre 2008, le projet de loi relatif à la ratification de la Convention Cadre pour la Lutte Antitabac, (CCLAT) a été adopté par les députés membres de la commission des Affaires Etrangères de l’Assemblée Nationale du Gabon, faisant ainsi un grand pas vers la ratification effective de cet important traité international en matière de santé publique.

Source: Thanguy Nzue Obame

FCTC Reporting Instruments: African countries that have to produce them

It looks like about 20 African countries have to submit their reporting instrument about their implementation of the FCTC. They are (in chronological order):
Lesotho (the report was due in April 2007), Egypt (May 07), Djibouti (Nov 07), Niger (Nov 07), Equatorial Guinea (Dec 07), Cape Verde (Jan 08), Mali (Jan 08), Nigeria (Jan 08), RDC (Jan 08), Mauritania (Jan 08),
Benin (Feb 08), RCA (Feb 08), Togo (Feb 08), Burundi (Feb 08), Swaziland (April 08), Chad (April 08), Cameroon (May 08), Dao Tome (July 08), Algeria (Sept 08), Burkina (Oct 08).

RDC: Mekako: savon ou cigarettes?

Dans son blog, Patrick Musavuli attire l'attention sur cette tentative d'utiliser le nom fort connu de la marque de savon Mekako pour vendre -frauduleusement- des cigarettes.

Ghana: Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) urges the Governement to ban tobacco advertising

Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), an NGO, has called on the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drugs Board to, in line with the constitution of Ghana, design and implement a comprehensive policy to ensure a total "ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship" in the country.

Source: Public Agenda in Accra (via All Africa.com)

Abuja Declaration

This communiqué was issued at the end of the Africa regional strategy workshop on tobacco control organized by FCA in Abuja from september 4 to 6, 2008.