Convention Secretariat announces FCTC 2030 selected Parties

Parties to the WHO FCTC that applied to the FCTC 2030 project received feedback on the outcome of the selection process this week.

Tobacco is a major public health concern and a barrier to development around the world. The FCTC 2030 project will strengthen tobacco control in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through promoting and supporting governments to accelerate the implementation of the WHO FCTC.

One of the core elements of the FCTC 2030 project is the provision of direct support to a selected number of LMIC Parties that have demonstrated considerable motivation to advance tobacco control.

This direct support will be focused on the achievement of the general obligations and the time bound measures of the Convention, strengthening tobacco taxation, implementing other articles of the WHO FCTC according to national priorities and promoting the implementation of the Convention as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Parties that wished to be considered for selection were asked to complete an application form that was made available to all LMIC Parties by the Convention Secretariat. The due date for applications was Monday, 6 March 2017.

A multisectoral panel, which included the Convention Secretariat, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the project funder, carefully reviewed each of the applications received.

The following 15 FCTC Parties were selected to receive direct support under the FCTC 2030 project:

In making the selection, consideration was given to a number of criteria, which is available here. The selection panel also took into account information provided in the latest report on the implementation of the WHO FCTC, and sought to prioritize support for Parties which may not have received substantial amounts of assistance for tobacco control from other sources.

A total of 55 FCTC Parties made an application. As the FCTC 2030 project is a global initiative, at least one applicant Party was selected from each WHO region. Of the 15 FCTC 2030 Parties selected, seven are classified as least developed countries, six as lower-middle income countries and two as upper-middle income countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

For the FCTC Parties that were not selected, the Convention Secretariat has explained other forms of support that are available for treaty implementation. Through the FCTC 2030 project, in addition to the direct support for the 15 selected Parties, the Convention Secretariat will also provide general support and materials for all LMICs to promote the implementation of the treaty. This support will include workshops, toolkits, south-south and triangular cooperation, and other forms of assistance to national governments.