Your Excellency President Laurentino Cortizo,
Vice-Minister Marjolijn Sonnema,
COP President Zandile Dhlamini,
Dr Adriana Blanco Marquizo,
Dear colleagues and friends,
I thank Your Excellency and the Government and people of Panama for hosting the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Tobacco remains one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing an estimated 8.7 million people every year.
The economic, social and environmental costs are massive – about 1.4 trillion US dollars a year in health expenditure and lost productivity.
More than 20 years since it was adopted by the World Health Assembly, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control remains one of the world’s most powerful tools for health.
Together, we have made great progress. We have saved lives.
More than 70% of the world’s population is now covered by at least one MPOWER measure implemented at the highest level.
Despite all these successes, much remains to be done, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the tobacco industry is increasingly active.
We must continue advocating for urgent and accelerated implementation of the Convention.
We must continue to be on our guard against the tobacco industry and its tactics.
I am committed to use the full force of the convention to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.