The Ministry of Public Health Participates in Second Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
MOPH was represented in the conference by Dr. Kholoud Al-Mutawa, the national liaison officer for combating smoking, and the head of the non-communicable diseases department at the MOPH, via remote communication technologies.
During the conference, Dr. Kholoud Al-Mutawa has been elected Head of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, and Second Vice-President of the third session of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to be held in Panama in 2023.
Dr. Al Mutawa presented, During the conference, what had been achieved in the six countries that joined the protocol, namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan.
The conference also discussed a number of important issues for the States Parties to the WHO FCTC, including ways to secure the supply chain of tobacco products and systems for tracing and determining the origin of various tobacco products. A special strategy was considered to help increase financial resources for the expansion of the implementation of the Protocol by creating an innovative fund for this purpose, in addition to adopting the proposed work plan and budget for the 2022-2023 biennium and electing a head of the Convention Secretariat.
The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products provides a comprehensive set of tools to address the illicit trade in tobacco products and seeks to increase cooperation between government agencies in all countries, with close participation from the health sector.
It should be noted that the second session of the conference was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference, which was held days after the conclusion of the ninth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO FCTC, constituted an important opportunity to discuss the implemented national legislation in countries that undermines Tobacco industry policies or its illicit trade.
Source: Ministry of Public Health