This week the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) held the first in a series of briefing sessions dedicated to engaging with Permanent Missions based in Geneva.
These sessions are part of a broader effort by the Secretariat to strengthen ties with Missions, which are a vital channel for dialogue, coordination, and support with Parties to the Convention — especially in the lead-up to the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) and the Fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (MOP4), to be held in November 2025, in Geneva.
The session offered participants an overview of the Convention and its Protocol, including the FCTC 2030 initiative, the technical and capacity-building assistance available to Parties, and the investment fund mechanisms supporting treaty implementation. It also highlighted the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, scheduled for September 2025 in New York.
The Secretariat will continue this series with dedicated sessions on tobacco industry interference and on the modalities and arrangements for COP11 and MOP4, aiming to ensure that Missions are well informed and equipped to actively engage in the treaty processes.