Hon. Ministers and members of parliament, dear colleagues.
From the outset, I want to extend a special thanks to the government of Georgia and in special to the Parliament and the Ministry of Health for hosting us all here, and thank you of course to UNDP, for organizing this forum as an activity funded through the Convention Secretariat’s FCTC 2030 project. My thanks go to WHO, our hosting agency, in special WHO country office for the continuous support to the FCTC 2030 project which would not be possible without the vision from the the United Kingdom that is generously funding the FCTC 2030 project in support to the implementation of the WHO FCTC in low- and middle-income countries around the world.
So, a big welcome to everyone.
Looking around the room, it is clear that the FCTC 2030 project is a global initiative, and that the countries represented here today are truly committed to reducing tobacco use, to improve public health and to protect present and future generations from the incredible harm that comes from tobacco.
So, what have we been able to achieve together under the FCTC 2030 project?
Well, first, we have established a baseline -- together, we conducted needs assessments to know where we need to strengthen implementation of the WHO FCTC. We have worked closely with your government tobacco control focal points, civil society and the international community to strengthen tobacco control coalitions and put in place strategic plans for tobacco control.
And we have either launched or are working on WHO FCTC investment cases that reveal not only the true, total, devastating costs of tobacco, but also identify tobacco control policies that would make sizeable health and economic contributions to countries.
For all countries, tobacco control needs a strong foundation – it needs strong tobacco control legislation. Because strong legislation, that is fully implemented and enforced, is the bedrock of effective tobacco control.
Tobacco control laws put into place measures that change behavior and promote public health, protect children and young people, stem illicit trade, prevent interference from the tobacco industry, and coordinate among sectors and ministries.
And please keep in mind that tobacco control is not just a health-specific issue. Tobacco exacerbates inequalities, deepens poverty, slows economic growth and leads to environmental damage. That is why the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda recognizes tobacco as a fundamental development challenge and offers the solution – a specific target to accelerate the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
In the 14 years since the Convention went into force, over 80 percent of Parties tell us that they have strengthened their tobacco control legislation. This has led to giant strides in tobacco control – cigarette prices have increased in many countries, and big graphic health warnings and plain packaging are being implemented across the world.
New or strengthened legislation has also led to full bans on tobacco advertising, the introduction of smoke-free work and public places and increases in the minimum age for tobacco purchase.
It is clear – strong and comprehensive tobacco control legislation is essential.
Take Article 8 of the WHO FCTC – protecting people from exposure to tobacco smoke. Legislation must be comprehensive – it not only must ban smoking in public places – it must shift the process for lawmaking, not allowing for voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry, or ventilation solutions. It needs to define public places, define what ‘indoors’ means, specify fines and other penalties, identify authorities responsible for enforcement, and put in place a system for monitoring compliance and prosecuting those who violate the law.
And while the WHO FCTC provides a blue print for governments, as well as specific implementation guidelines in many areas, it does not provide all the answers. Each country is different, and many decisions can only be taken by governments.
We’ve seen time and again in countries where the WHO FCTC is implemented comprehensively that tobacco use reduces significantly. And when tobacco use falls, people are protected from early death and disease. The Convention supply and demand reduction measures are simply effective – they are evidence-based measures.
Today, 180 countries and the European Union are Parties to the treaty, which means the treaty covers more than 90% of world’s population. The countries that are Parties to the WHO FCTC have international legal obligations to implement the treaty.
It is this focus and clear direction of the Convention that has organized a global movement to stem the tobacco epidemic. It has spurred alliances among civil society, academia and the Parties themselves.
The Convention has encouraged a formalized network of support. The Convention Secretariat has established Knowledge Hubs and Observatories around the world. These provide assistance to Parties in overcoming obstacles in implementing the Convention, as well as monitoring and documenting the various ways that the tobacco industry tries to stop progress from being made.
Today, the Convention Secretariat is joined by other UN agencies such as the WHO and UNDP to assist Parties in implementing the Convention. It is thanks to our partnership with UNDP under the FCTC 2030 project that we are here today.
This is the first time the Convention Secretariat has convened members of parliament.
So, why have we organized this Forum?
Well, results from the many needs assessments that have been undertaken in countries around the world tell us that most Parties have not fully implemented the general obligations of the Convention, including making legislation.
In the Party implementation reports submitted every two years, one of the most mentioned obstacles to WHO FCTC implementation is gaps in legislation.
To bridge these gaps, you, as legislators, have a crucial role. Without effective and comprehensive legislation, the WHO FCTC would not be implemented. And without your support with oversight of that legislation, there would not be sufficient accountability to ensure consistent enforcement.
Many of you have already strengthened tobacco control laws since becoming Parties to the Convention.
And the country where we are today – Georgia -- has shown strong leadership in passing and successfully implementing bold, new legislation.
In 2018, Georgia enacted a law that bans smoking in all indoor public places, bans all tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, and will institute plain packaging.
It was only a few years ago that it felt that there was a tobacco advertisement on every street corner in Tbilisi, and that people were smoking everywhere. We congratulate Georgia on the remarkable progress that has been made.
We understand that other countries that are represented by parliamentarians at this Forum are also getting ready to pass new tobacco control laws, including Cabo Verde, Zambia, Sierra Leone and Madagascar. Other countries are in the process of reviewing and amending existing laws to strengthen them in line with the WHO FCTC.
But the work does not end once laws are passed. As legislators, you have important roles in oversight of the law – ensuring that laws, once passed, are also implemented and enforced fairly and effectively. And parliamentarians have a key role in ensuring that governments adequately and sustainably finance tobacco control into the future.
In addition to the Convention, some of your governments have already become a Party to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products and I urge all Parties here represented to ratify the Protocol. The Protocol is focused on domestic and international law to bring the illicit tobacco trade to an end.
Illicit tobacco, which includes tobacco products for which taxes have not been paid, or counterfeit or fake products is a serious concern. Illicit tobacco, deprives national treasuries of significant amounts of money in lost tax and also undermines public health by making tobacco more affordable and more accessible, including for children.
The use of tobacco is going down in developed countries. For that reason, the tobacco industry is increasingly turning to low- and middle-income countries to sell their deadly products. That is why we want to do everything we can to support you to make strong tobacco control laws for your countries.
That is also the reason why the WHO FCTC requires all Parties to protect public health policies from the vested and commercial interests of the tobacco industry, including to reject any form of partnership with the industry.
Let me be clear – I believe that the tobacco industry is our greatest obstacle to ending the tobacco epidemic. This industry makes vast profits from selling tobacco, from addicting people to tobacco and they don’t want anything to change. For the sake of public health, for the sake of our children, things must change.
Tobacco companies prey on young people – most tobacco users start when they are children, well before they are able to make informed, adult decisions about using this hugely addictive product. We must do everything we can to protect children from tobacco, so that our future generations can lead the most healthy lives possible.
And I am saying that yes, we need to vote in favour of the health, well-being and economic prosperity of our citizens and countries. We need to strengthen tobacco control laws and make sure they are comprehensive and effective.
We need to ensure those on the frontlines – those enforcing and coordinating tobacco control measures – have the resources they need. And we need to ensure that the industry does not get in the way of a healthier and more prosperous future for our children.
Ask Georgian MPs present here today, and they will tell you – passing the new law was not easy, and there are obstacles many of you will face to strengthen your laws back at home. But I am confident we can succeed. And your constituents will reward you for your efforts – around the world, we see that tobacco control policies enjoy high public support.
And the UN family is here to support you in your efforts to get the WHO FCTC implemented in your countries.
Again, it is a great pleasure to see all of us gathered here. It is, in fact, a landmark occasion – in what is the first gathering of MPs for the purpose of strengthening the WHO FCTC.
These two days of concentrated efforts will allow us to learn from each other’s experiences and identify where and how we can drive legislative reform in tobacco control. And I have no doubt, that these next two days will strengthen our resolve and leadership for the strongest possible tobacco control.
Thank you all for making the trip here to Tblisi; and thank you to the Parliament of Georgia and the National Center for Disease Control for being such wonderful hosts this week.
Thank you