Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

Morocco’s Finance bill of 2019 to raise taxes on cigarettes

The finance committee to the House of Representatives has adopted 56 amendments on the 2019 Finance Bill, including a tax increase on shisha. The 2019 Finance Bill will increase the domestic consumption tax on certain cigarette brands.The tax increase will affect the most widely-consumed cigarettes on the market, Marlboro, and Marquise. Marlboro packs will be sold for MAD 40 instead of 33, and Marquise for MAD 21 instead of 19. Minister of Economy and Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun explained the tax hike in a press conference Monday at the ministry’s headquarters in Rabat.

Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA) calls for increased taxes

The chairman for Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance , Mr. Joel Shunza Gitali in a recent interview on public television, called for an increase in tobacco taxes by Government. He argues that an increase in taxes will add revenue to the Government ex-checker and saves lives as well. KETCA have been spearheading this campaign since 2008.

Tobacco taxation workshop in Cape Town

The GCRF Tobacco Control Capacity Programme has held a one week workshop of expert sessions to support research fellows with their tobacco control taxation plans. Among topics discussed were illicit trade and tobacco taxation, in line with the framework convention on tobacco control guidelines.

Project on Tobacco Tax Advocacy Underway in Nigeria

The Civil Society Legislative Society Advocacy Center (CISLAC) is collaborating with Tax Justice Network Africa to create awareness on tobacco Tax Advocacy in Nigeria. The project is themed "supporting effective tobacco control through responsive tax  systems in Nigeria."

Cameroon's government plans to increase taxes and install graphic warnings

Cameroon’s government has made public its plans geared at ensuring an increase in taxes on tobacco products in the country.

This disclosure was made in the past month in the capital, Yaounde, by the Technical Adviser in the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Samuel Kingue, during a belated ceremony to mark the 2018 World No Tobacco Day. Dr. Kingue, who is also the President of Cameroon Cardiac Society, noted that the day is observed worldwide on every May 31 but for some technical reason, the commemoration in Cameroon was postponed.

How cigarettes are taxed

Interesting map posted on the CTCA site (as we reported in November). Right on target for World No Tobacco Day 2014!

2013/2014 IDRC grant to CRES to improve taxation policies in West Africa

IDRC provided CRES with a $378 grant in June 2013 to promote improving the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa. A one day workshop was organized in February 2014  in Ivory Coast, bringing together parliamentarians from 14 of the 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). More infos on the site of CRES  about this meeting, but only in French. To get the reports country by country, click on 'documents'.

How cigarettes are taxed

Interesting map posted on the CTCA site

About the new tobacco control law in Gabon

Gabonese advocate Thanguy NZUE OBAME has shared with us copies of the new tobacco control law, Loi 006/2013 enacted on August 21 2013, about the new tobacco control policies in Gabon ('portant instauration des mesures antitabac en République Gabonaise"). Below are a few immediate comments but a more complete analysis will take more time. Here is the post published on the FCTC site on November 13.

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.

IDRC and Taxation of Tobacco Products in West Africa

Revisiting the grants awarded by IDRC it is interesting to look at how Dakar based CRES has been significantly funded to research the taxation of tobacco products in West Africa. Of course many meetings were organized including one in Paris and a 3 day conference in Ougadougou. But is any specific information available on line? I have not found any -yet-.

Regional Conference in Ouagadougou, November 26,27, 28 2012 about tobacco taxation

press release

The Consortium for Social and Economic Research (CRES), in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and International Development Research Centre for International Development ( IDRC), organizes a regional conference to share country profiles made in the 15 countries in ECOWAS and regional synthesis on tobacco products taxation products. This high-level meeting will be held on Monday 26, Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 November 2012 at   hotel Azalaï-Independence at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Workshop about tax policies in West Africa in Ouagadougou (November 26-28)

Find below the press release posted on tobacco.org from AllAfrica.

Meeting in Paris about tobacco taxation in Africa

Meeting in Paris July 31, 2012 Was it really necessary and what was really achieved? How much did it cost? REALLY?

Jeudi, 09 Août 2012 10:06

Rencontre sur la Collecte de données dans la taxation du tabac en Afrique – Paris, 31 juillet 2012 Le mardi 31 juillet 2012 à Paris, le CRES, représenté par le Pr Abdoulaye Diagne et Mme Nafissatou Baldé Sow, a pris part à la Rencontre sur la Collecte de données dans la taxation du tabac en Afrique. Elle a été organisée par The Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases représentée Mme Sylvianne Ratte, Conseillère technique Lutte Anti-Tabac. Le séminaire a réuni plusieurs acteurs de la taxation du tabac : l’African Tobacco Control Consortium, le Centre de recherche pour le développement international, l’American Cancer Society, l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, le Center for Disease Control and Prevention, la fondation Bloomberg, la Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, l’Université de Montreal et l’Université de Cap Town. Les intervenants ont pu exposer les projets en cours ainsi que les données collectées dans le domaine de la taxation du tabac. Ils ont également partagé leurs expériences sur la collecte de données, notamment en précisant les données manquantes dans les pays que leurs projets ont couverts. Des suggestions ont été faites pour une meilleure exploitation des sources de données existantes, l’amélioration de la collecte des données et des précisions apportées le type de données nécessaires pour la formulation d’une politique de taxation plus efficace. Enfin, les structures présentes ont échangé sur les perspectives de projets futurs pour la collecte des données sur les taxes et les prix du tabac, et ont notamment évoqué la collaboration avec les Instituts Nationaux de la Statistiques dans les pays d’Afrique, les possibilités de formation des décideurs et les opportunités de partenariat au niveau régional et international.

A taxation workshop in Benin

The ACS blog provides some information but where are the data, ie the prices and taxes for each country and each type of tobacco product? What has been the evolution (if any) during the last years? How much should the increase be? What about smuggling? How dependent on tobacco taxes are the various governments? What percentage of the budget do tobacco taxes represent? Those are key data that should be provided. Since Bénin is a French speaking country, wouldn't it make sense to publish the information in French? 

Namibia and Malawi: a report of the World Bank about corruption and tax evasion

A sobering report but what fixes?

Drastic Price Decrease Threatens to Increase Youth Smoking Rates in Senegal

Find below the press release published by CTFK in support of the protest by the Senegalese League Against Tobacco.

Bill Gates to suggest raising taxes on tobacco worldwide

From this article that focuses on a Robin Hood Tax but also includes tobacco tax:
In addition to the FTT, Gates's report will likely suggest raising taxes on tobacco to the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of at least 70 percent. If fully implemented by the G20 and the rest of the EU, according to the note, revenues could reach 170 billion dollars a year, "a small part" of which could be earmarked to a "Solidarity Tobacco Contribution" for global health agencies, such as the WHO, the Global Fund, and Unicef, among others. What are the obstacles to raising tobacco taxes in Africa? The influence of the industry, the weakness of the tax/customs administrations, the prevalence of smuggling, the diversity of the situation in neighboring countries, the lack of motivation for political leaders?

Ghana: a $15K grant for VISA from the Bloomberg Initiative

Tobacco Taxation Situational Report in Ghana

Vision for Alternative Development

To develop a tax report in Ghana with appropriate, FCTC-compliant tax policy recommendations that assist the Government of Ghana to follow through on its commitments to institute tax measures that reduce smoking.

Country: Ghana
Amount: $15,000
Start Date: Apr 2011
End Date: Jul 2011

 

Senegal: Methodological workshop on tobacco taxation in West Africa

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).

Blood cigarettes: cigarette smuggling and war economies in central and eastern Africa

A research paper by Kristof Titeca published in Tobacco Control Journal.

From COP4: in Ghana, government's promises remain to be implemented.

Current levels of tax levied on tobacco products in Ghana still mean cigarettes are cheap and easily accessible, even to minors. Tax revenue generated by tobacco sales falls far short of what the government spends on treating tobacco-related diseases.

Source: FCA Bulletin 109, article bu Issah Ali (page 8).

From COP4: Tobacco taxation and development in Sub Saharan Africa

This article by Nouréiny TCHA-KONDOR, economist and tax campaign coordinator for the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) was published in the bulletin 107 of the FCA during COP4 (here is the link to the whole bulletin in pdf format, the article is on page 6 )

South Africa: National Council Against Smoking awarded two grants by the Bloomberg Initiative

The National Council Against Smoking in South Africa has been awarded in May 2010 two 2 year grants (May 2010 to April 2012) by the Bloomberg Initiative for total of $495.722. They aim to promote "policy advocacy for effective tobacco tax and regulatory regimes".

Source: Bloomberg Initiative/What we fund

Malawi: a new tax on cigarettes to curb smuggling

From Afrique en ligne.

Tax strategy: tax incidence benchmark or affordability benchmark?

An article by Evan Blecher in the August issue of Tobacco Control that looks interesting. Unfortunately only the abstract is accessible now for free and it would probably require a less technical presentation for the non specialist.

Tobacco Control Journal: how much money comes from tobacco and how much is invested in tobacco control?

In the August issue of the journal Tobacco Control, Cynthia Callard looks at how much tobacco companies and governments make out of tobacco products in profits and taxes. She compares this amount to the budgets devoted to tobacco control. What is the situation in your country? it would be great to have a detailed picture/database for Africa.

Newly discovered: ACS funded by IDRC to study cigarette taxation in Tanzania

This project was funded (CAD 42.2300) on September 25 2009, for one year. The goal is to demonstrate that increased taxation will reduce consumption without reducing tax revenues, in fact increasing tax revenues. Contact: Evan Blecher, a South African economist now with the American Cancer Society.

South Africa: The National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) urges finance minister Pravin Gordhan to review tobacco tax rates

Source: AllAfrica

Un rapport de l'ONU sur la contrebande (notamment de cigarettes) en Afrique de l'Ouest

Ce rapport du Bureau de l'ONU on Drugs and Crime, intitulé Transnational trafficking in West Africa n'est pour le moment disponible qu'en anglais.
Les principales voies d'accès sont les ports de Lomé, Cotonou, Tema, Conakry ainsi que la Mauritanie (voir les pages 35 à 40 du rapport). Une grande partie des cigarettes illicites serait destinée à l'Afrique du Nord (notamment la Libye).

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.

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. 

La position du Mouvement Anti-Tabac du Sénégal (MAT) sur l'augmentation des taxes sur les produits du tabac

Le communiqué du MAT publié sur leur blog indique que l'augmentation votée va favoriser Philip Morris et qu'il reste beaucoup à faire au gouvernment Sénégalais pour mener une politique de prévention vraiment efficace: s'assurer que l'augmentation de la taxe est intégralement répercutée, organiser d'avantage de campagnes de prévention et soutenir davantage les ONGs alors que les budgets consacrés à la prévention demeurent très faibles en regard des recettes fiscales et des actions de publicité et de promotion développées par l'industrie.

Sénégal: La taxe sur les tabacs en hausse de 10%

L'Assemblée nationale du Sénégal a voté, mercredi 4 Février, une loi portant à 40% la taxe sur les tabacs contre 30% auparavant, rapportent jeudi plusieurs titres de la presse locale.

Source Pana

Pour un commentaire beaucoup plus détaillé et critique voir le communiqué du MAT.

Senegal hikes tax on tobacco by 10%.

The Senegalese National Assembly enacted Wednesday Feberuary 4th a law to raise taxes on tobacco and alcohol from 30% to 40%, local newspapers reported Thursday.
Source: PANA
See also the much more critical comment (in French) by local tobacco control advocates.

Burkina Faso: il faut appliquer la convention de l'OMS et augmenter les taxes et les prix des cigarettes

L’association Afrique contre le tabac (ACONTA), section Burkina a animé une conférence de presse, le 21 janvier 2009 à Ouagadougou, afin de mieux faire connaître la convention cadre de l’OMS pour la lutte antitabac (CCLAT).

Source: www.lefaso.net

Madagascar: augmentation des taxes sur les cigarettes, stagnation de la consommation

De 94,5 milliards d'ariary en 2007, les taxes sont passées à 102 milliards d'ariary l'an dernier pour l'Imperial Tobacco. Ces résultats sont les conséquences de l'augmentation du droit d'accise stipulé dans la Loi de finances 2008, passé de 135 à 150 ariary.

Quant aux ventes, une stagnation a été constatée. L'effritement du pouvoir d'achat des consommateurs face à la flambée des prix des produits de première nécessité et l'émergence de nouvelles priorités expliquent la situation.
« Les grossistes ont préféré orienter leur trésorerie sur certains produits de première nécessité qui ont disparu temporairement du marché, et donc qui se vendaient mieux. Les cigarettes ont été reléguées au second plan », soutient le responsable auprès de la Promodim.
L'achat des cigarettes est devancé par celui des recharges de crédit.

Lantoniaina Razafindramiadana

Source: L'Express de Madagascar, www.lexpressmada.com

Namibia: the Government intends to fight smuggling

As of this month, any business found with fake liquor or cigarettes should expect punishment from the long arm of the law, the Ministry of Finance has announced.
The ministry said it would remove and destroy stock of fake liquor or cigarettes from any business premises without any compensation to the business owner.
Source: AllAfrica

South Africa: Taxes Not Laws Stamp Out Smoking

Despite all the sound and fury surrounding tough new legislation on smoking, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has emerged as the unlikely hero of the drive to reduce smoking in SA.

Public hearings have so far focused on the prohibition of tobacco advertising, tough new rules that will further restrict where people may smoke and a call for further restrictions on the industry.