COP9 Fund to Boost Tobacco Control Initiatives
“COP9 adopted the “Declaration on WHO FCTC and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”, proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and co-sponsored by a broad group of Parties. It stresses the need to protect public health policy from the commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry, and that tobacco control measures particularly increases in tobacco taxes, should be an integral part in pandemic recovery efforts.
A key milestone arising from COP9 is the decision to move forward with the development and launch of an investment fund that will offer a third source of support to help global tobacco control efforts. (Emphasis added) This lays a foundation for financial stability for the future implementation of the WHO FCTC. The fund will complement existing revenue received from Parties through assessed contributions and extra-budgetary support.”
Comment: The Thai Health Promotion Foundation just celebrated 20 years of their fund to support tobacco control and other health promotion efforts. It is sensible to provide financial resources for societal health promotion, but international and national organizations often delay providing any mechanism to ensure necessary funding even when there is a disaster/existential threat. (For example, Climate Change)
https://fctc.who.int/newsroom/news/item/12-11-2021-cop9-closing-agreement
Stephen Hamann
