Virtual signing ceremony between Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Ministry of Health of Brazil

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to everyone.

I would like to first say how delighted I am to be here today at this virtual signing ceremony – the very first of its kind for the Convention Secretariat. Although we are unable to physically be together in either Brazil or Geneva, we are still able to mark this very important moment through digital technology and virtual means. Also technology allows us to be accompanied by more colleagues, friend organizations and fellow knowledge hubs around the globe.

Let me start with some sobering facts: Article 17 (Provision of support of economically viable alternative activities), and Article 18 (Protection of the environment and the health of persons) continue to be among the least successfully implemented articles of the Convention. As still almost half of all Parties indicate they have tobacco-growing in their jurisdiction, it is vital for the global tobacco control community to support the implementation of Articles 17 and 18 among tobacco-growing Parties.

Among Parties that have reported tobacco growing in their jurisdictions, less than a third promoted viable alternatives for tobacco growers, and less than one in ten do so for tobacco workers and individual tobacco sellers. Protective measures in tobacco cultivation and manufacturing are utilized by around one-third of tobacco-growing Parties, and there was no notable progress in this area in 2018–2020.

This is one of the areas that the tobacco industry and its front groups defend with special interest, keeping the dependence of farmers; using farmers' associations to develop strategies against tobacco control, exaggerating the financial benefits of tobacco growing and offering social responsibility actions seeking to build a positive company image, distracting the government and society’s attention about the real purposes of the company.

I would like to remind us that the WHO FCTC does not aim to penalize tobacco farmers, by the contrary through Articles 17 and 18, it aims at increasing the number of livelihood options, with a view to assisting tobacco growers, workers and, as the case may be, individual sellers.

To support Parties in their implementation of the WHO FCTC, the Convention Secretariat works with institutions that have acquired the status of WHO FCTC Secretariat's Knowledge Hubs, which assist Parties in specific technical areas of the Convention, with special attention to the needs of developing Parties and Parties with economies in transition. Since 2013, seven Knowledge Hubs have been established by the Convention Secretariat worldwide, and today, we are proud to welcome our eighth and newest member to this growing family.

The Global Strategy to Accelerate Tobacco Control 2019-2025, adopted by the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC, recognizes the need to confront the adverse consequences of tobacco products, including the environmental and social effects of tobacco growing, related among other things to child labour, product use and waste disposal. It also explicitly mentions the need to strengthen the role of knowledge hubs in assisting Parties.

Brazil has a strong track record in implementation of the Convention in general and has also made good progress in promoting alternative livelihoods; with a well-known trajectory in the field of innovation for diversification in tobacco growing areas.

Brazil was one of the key facilitators of the Working Group on Articles 17 and 18) and it has also participated in South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives supporting countries and sharing knowledge to develop programmes for alternative livelihoods. For example, like the field study visit organized together with the Convention Secretariat that took place in 2016 where Jamaica, Philippines and Uruguay visited Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In conclusion, I would like to express how truly enthusiastic I am, personally and on behalf of the whole Convention Secretariat, to be initiating this new partnership with Fiocruz. We are certainly looking forward to a long and successful relationship as we work towards achieving our shared vision of a tobacco-free world.

Thank you very much.