The 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) on the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is scheduled to take place from February 5-10, 2024, in Panama. The conference, operating under the theme “United for Healthy Lives,” will share its work plan to strengthen global public health. The COP is the governing body of the FCTC, which came into force in 2005 and has been signed by 183 Parties worldwide.
The Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC), a network of tobacco control and public health organizations, will play a crucial role at COP10 by leading advocacy efforts for a robust treaty. Key priorities during the conference include the adoption of Specific Guidelines to Address Cross-Border Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship (TAPS) and the Depiction of Tobacco in Entertainment Media. Additionally, discussions will focus on forward-looking tobacco control measures, the Implementation Review Support Mechanism, and addressing issues related to Articles 9, 10, and 19 of the WHO FCTC.
The COP10 conference provides an opportunity for the international tobacco control community to strengthen global best practices and unite for healthy lives. GATC will organize daily briefings for non-governmental organizations and actively counter tobacco industry interference attempts that aim to obstruct or weaken COP and the Meeting of the Parties (MOP). A robust FCTC is considered essential for the effective implementation of global tobacco control policies, which have proven to save lives.
Leslie Rae Ferat, Executive Director of GATC, emphasized that COP10 is a platform to defend tobacco control policies and advance innovative measures to address the ongoing challenges posed by the tobacco epidemic. The conference aims to unite stakeholders in the fight against tobacco-related health, social, economic, and environmental consequences.