Thank you, Mr President.
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my great honour to welcome you to the Fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all Parties and observers for your presence at the MOP — and for your commitment to accelerate implementation of the Protocol and stop the illicit trade in tobacco products.
Since the Protocol entered into force in September 2018, we have made significant strides in building a framework to combat illicit trade in tobacco products — a trade that undermines public health, deprives governments of much-needed revenue and fuels organized crime.
Yet, as we gather here, we are reminded of immense challenges that confront us.
Illicit trade continues to adapt and evolve, exploiting gaps in enforcement and technology, and threatening the progress we have achieved.
Illicit trade also undermines health systems, erodes governance, fuels inequality and diverts resources that could transform lives.
People outside the tobacco control community would be shocked to learn that illicit trade accounts for an estimated 11% of the global tobacco market, and that its elimination could increase global tax revenues by more than US$ 47 billion annually — money that could be spent to offset the some of the cost of the public health harms caused by tobacco.
In addition, illicit trade is a barrier to progress across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, because when public health is compromised, when institutions are weakened and when revenues are lost, sustainable development is put at risk.
This session of the MOP comes at a pivotal moment.
Over the coming days, we will review progress, share experiences and adopt decisions that will strengthen implementation of the Protocol.
Our discussions will focus on critical areas: reinforcing international cooperation, improving global information-sharing and further controlling the supply chain of tobacco products.
These actions are not isolated — they are part of a collective effort to create healthier societies, strengthen economies and stop criminality.
As we begin our deliberations, I urge all of us to approach the next three days with a spirit of collaboration, determination and respect.
And keep the theme of this MOP in mind — Justice and Prosecution: Strengthening Legal Action to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products”.
By eliminating illicit trade, we are helping to build a world where development is inclusive, resources are used for the common good and no one is left behind.
I look forward to productive discussions and concrete outcomes that will move us closer to a future free from the harms of illicit tobacco trade — and closer to the realization of the SDG agenda.
Thank you