Dear President, distinguished delegates, colleagues and friends.
As we come to the close of COP9 it is wonderful to reflect on the record number of Parties that have joined us for this event – there are 161 Parties in attendance – the most ever for a COP since the entry into force of the WHO FCTC in 2005. This record speaks volumes about our shared commitment to comprehensive implementation of the Convention – a tool that we KNOW is fit for purpose, because the evidence – and industry’s endless attempts to impede our efforts - show that it is working.
The reality is that the Convention grows from strength-to-strength. The over 1200 delegates that we have welcomed to our virtual COP is further evidence of our collective determination to put an end to the tobacco epidemic.
Of course, the virtual setting of this COP did not come without its challenges, for which we did our best to prepare. Thankfully we also had a dedicated and patient team of IT experts to back us up and keep us all together, even though at times we fell into unexpected silence – and sometimes found things literally lost in translation. But despite those small technical hiccups, we remained steadfast in our work – and we achieved so much! We proved that, no matter what the circumstances, public health experts from around the world can make a real difference as we collectively worked to strengthen the Convention.
May I take this opportunity to thank all those who made this event possible, our translators, interpreters, editors, writers, technicians and many others. These people cannot be called the behind-the-scenes team, because without them there would be no scene at all! Many of our editors worked throughout the night to get documents ready and keep us moving. A very big thank you to all of the committed professionals who ensured that every day, not only did the show go on, it went on in multiple languages, with full documentation, and revised texts appearing like clockwork.
I also want to thank the Secretariat staff. I am proud to lead such a dedicated and genuinely enthusiastic group of people. Their energy truly inspires me. Thank you all for your support and your attention to getting things right.
This COP has certainly seen a number of highlights. Agreeing on the means to ensure a new stream of reliable and steady funding has been a major achievement and bodes well for the future of our work. It has required rigorous research, coordination with Parties, and consultation with finance experts. But after all that hard work and our own deliberations here at COP, we can now work on attracting investors to a fund that will increase our ability to implement tobacco control measures and to save lives. That is an exciting outcome of which we can all be proud.
I would also like to note that at this COP, journalists from around the world have been able to sit in on our sessions and observe our work. This is an important development, as we display our commitment to transparency and desire for fair scrutiny concerning the implementation of the WHO FCTC, and the functioning of our governing body. Like all other treaties, the Parties – the States whose very agreement and resolve form the basis of our existence – are the ones who make the decisions. And we – the Convention Secretariat and our colleagues in WHO - support your work with evidence-based information to underpin your decisions aimed at improving global health.
And in building that network of support for the COP’s work, the Secretariat continues to be outward looking, seeking new ways to build and strengthen relationships with international bodies and other stakeholders. It is in building these alliances that we can all realize the full potential of the power contained in the WHO FCTC, the power to end the tobacco epidemic.
The declaration made by COP9 on the WHO FCTC and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the urgency of our tobacco control efforts. Brought to this COP by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and ultimately co-sponsored by a wide range of Parties, the Declaration is a sign of our unity and our unwavering support for public health, not despite challenges like the current pandemic, but because of them. Mr. President, it is true that this declaration began in your country, but I also know that it is something you are completely committed to – congratulations for having brought it to the global stage with resounding success. The Declaration serves to emphasise that all over the world, as populations everywhere work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, that we must remain aware of the inherent and irreconcilable conflicts between the tobacco industry’s interests and public health policy needs. The Declaration highlights the need to protect public health policy from the interests of the tobacco industry - especially in times of crisis - and reminds us all of that we must integrate tobacco control measures in our pandemic recovery efforts.
Of course, next week we start again – this time, to move forward with our work on the implementation of the first protocol to the Convention. On Monday, we turn our attention to the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, so some of us will be meeting again very soon, indeed. Although the Protocol is still a young instrument, it already boasts 63 Parties – soon to be 64. MOP2 will also be a virtual event at which the Parties will consider important matters, not the least of which is a similar investment fund plan that can support broad and profound implementation of the Protocol around the world.
Thank you, delegates, for your patience as we worked in a virtual space, but more importantly, thank you for your guidance and commitment to strengthening tobacco control measures and demonstrating our unwavering commitment to the Convention, and to a healthy, tobacco-free future for all of us.
Thank you.