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The WHO Regional Office for Africa in collaboration with headquarters and the Togolese Government will organise an intercountry meeting on the contribution of parliamentarians to tobacco control in the African Region, from 6 to 8 October 1999, at Lomé in Togo. The main objectives of the meeting were:
For the first time in the African Region, WHO will bring together representatives of 15 countries of French- and Portuguese-speaking Africa to consider an appropriate strategy to counter the advertising offensive by the tobacco industry. On top of the burden of disease confronting African countries already comes a new epidemic - purely man-made - caused by smoking. The Region is increasingly targeted by the tobacco industry because of the decline in the market in developed countries. The result has been a worrying increase in tobacco consumption, with adverts encouraging young people in particular to smoke. According to FAO the increase could be the highest in the world, at 3.2% as compared 2.7% for all developing countries, over the coming decade. Already, epidemiological data show that smoking is a major cause of avoidable death in many countries of the Region. African countries can react now by implementing national tobacco control policies and by adopting appropriate legislation. Such measures have been effective in many countries in the world. Furthermore, they are among the most cost-effective interventions, as the World Bank points out in report "Curbing the epidemic". Until now, we have not based our action and policy on thorough knowledge of the vector: the tobacco industry. Malaria control would be unthinkable without knowledge of the behaviour and anatomy of the mosquito. If we are to successfully counter the offensive of the tobacco industry in the African Region, we must therefore properly identify the strategy that is being used. This is why access to the internal documents of the tobacco industry obtained in the United States after the Minnesota trial will give a new impulse to tobacco control in the world, and in Africa especially. The time has come for parliamentarians throughout the world to challenge the tobacco industry on its activities in their region and on its projects for the next millennium. The role of parliamentarians as representatives of the people and guardians of public health is more essential than ever. WHO will be at their side to give them every chance of success in the struggle. No country can confront the tobacco epidemic alone. This is why South Africa has sought the aid of the international community to ensure that the legislation and regulations adopted are effectively put into practice. This battle against the industry lobby in recent years has been exemplary. WHO with its special programme "Initiative for a tobacco-free world", and with the setting up of the International framework Convention on Tobacco Control will help Member States to prepare appropriate responses for the health issues, and also for the political and economic aspects of the problem, at global level. The Member States of the African Region have already expressed their strong commitment to tobacco control, at the Regional Committee in Sun City in South Africa, in September 1997, in adopting the resolution* which urge the Director-General of WHO "to appeal to the US Government to include clauses to prevent its companies from exporting this health hazard to developing countries with poor legislative and control capacities". The message to African legislators is therefore clear. Their contribution to tobacco control is more crucial than ever. This is why the Lome meeting is so important, not only for the countries of the Region but also for all the Member States of the Organization. * AFR/RC47/R6 Pour en savoir plus: TFI/fellow - Therese LETHU, e mail: Lethut@who.ch List of the countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cap Verde, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Cost, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Togo. The participants at the Intercountry Meeting on the Contribution of Parliamentarians to the Control of Tobacco in the African Region in Lome recommend: The strengthening or the implementation of anti-tobacco legislation by supporting national tobacco control policies. The questioning of executive authorities for the effective and vigorous application of legislation and regulations. The encouragement and support of smoke-free parliaments in the African region. The more active involvement of parliaments in strengthening and implementing coherent and synergistic global initiatives and mechanisms for the reduction of tobacco consumption in the countries. The participation of the parliamentarians in social mobilization around the anti-tobacco efforts. The taking into consideration the successes and lessons learned in other countries in matters of tobacco control A vigorous pursuit of the preparation and the ratification of the International Framework Convention for Tobacco Control Create an inter-parliamentary group to follow up on these recommendation Considered that the consumption of tobacco produces at least 3.5 million deaths worldwide in 1998; Noting that from now to 2030, 10 million deaths worldwide will be attributable to tobacco and at least 70% of these deaths will be in the developing countries; Concerned by the rapid rise in tobacco smoking and consumption in other forms, in the African Region, compared with the rest of the developing world; Convinced of the central role of legislation in the global reduction of the rates of consumption of tobacco; Conscious of the importance of their own role as legislators in protecting the health and the rights of citizens they represent; Congratulate the efforts of WHO TFI, efforts reflected notably by the resolutions of the World Health Assembly (WHA52.18, WHA 49.17), of the Executive Counsel (EB103.R11), and of the Regional Committee for Africa (AFR/RC/47/R6); and the courageous initiatives taken by some of the African parliaments and governments in tobacco control. Commit themselves to: Develop or reinforce all national and international parliamentary initiatives that help implement the recommendations of WHO; Systematically implement the World Without Tobacco Day (JMST) by diffusing of messages and arranging appropriate events; Initiating, within the African continental and regional interparliamentary structures the harmonization of taxes and legislation among the member states; Create, with the help of AFRO and of WHO, a network for the exchange of information and experience; Produce, whenever needed, reports and inquiries on the prevalence and the incidence of tobacco use, on publicity, and on the advertising practices of companies and various communication campaigns, that that serve as a basis for the formulation and passage of tobacco control legislation. Call for: Governments To support the efforts of WHO for the preparation and the adoption of the International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; To put in place not only the legislation but also the taxation on tobacco, health education, social mobilization, and strict controls on the direct and indirect promotional practices of the tobacco industry; To initiate an urgent review of the sponsorship of cultural and sporting events by the tobacco industry, and of the smuggling of tobacco across borders; To assist and encourage national NGO involvement in tobacco control To recognize the massive movement of the tobacco industry's efforts to market tobacco in the developing countries as a consequence of the success of tobacco control movements in the developed countries. WHO To bring technical and financial assistance to the countries engaged in developing a coherent and global tobacco reduction strategy To serve as a central point for the collection and diffusion of the national and international experiences in controlling tobacco To assure the implementation of the recommendations of this conference. |
