WASHINGTON, 29 April – The world’s health ministers should be congratulated for identifying tobacco control as a proven tool to fight major killer diseases and boost development, says the
Framework Convention Alliance, which represents over 350 organisations from more than 100 countries.

At the end of a two-day meeting in Moscow, the ministers issued a declaration noting that many countries now face the monumental challenge of combating both communicable
diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). To do so successfully, the ministers urged a shift from disease-centred to people-centred healthy systems.
“Evidence-based and cost-effective interventions exist to prevent and control NCDs,” says the Moscow Declaration. “These interventions could have profound health, social, and economic
benefits throughout the world.”

To tackle tobacco use, which is the one risk factor common to the four main groups of NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases), the Declaration
called for “accelerating implementation by States Parties of the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and encouraging other countries to ratify
the Convention”.

It also urged “strengthening international support for the full and effective implementation of
the WHO FCTC”. NCDs now cause about 60 per cent of global deaths and 80 per cent of NCD deaths occur in the developing world.

“FCA is encouraged that the health ministers recognised the FCTC as a proven, effective, costeffective and affordable tool to fight tobacco use, a major risk factor for NCDs,” said FCA
Director Laurent Huber.

The FCTC entered into force in 2005. Today it has 172 Parties representing about 87 per cent of the world’s population, making it one of the most successful ever UN treaties. The FCTC sets
out specific steps governments must take against tobacco use, yet effective implementation of the treaty at the national level is hampered by lack of financial and technical resources.

FCTC measures include:
• Adopt tax and price measures to reduce tobacco consumption;
• Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship;
• Create smoke-free work and public spaces;
• Put prominent health warnings on tobacco packages;
• Combat illicit trade in tobacco products.

“FCA looks forward to seeing the provisions in the Moscow Declaration feed into discussions on the United Nations NCD Summit, in order to strengthen international support for FCTC
implementation,” said Huber.
UN Member States are expected to start discussing in June the Outcomes Document for the NCD Summit, which will be held on 19-20 September and is expected to attract world leaders.

For further information contact FCA Director Laurent Huber in Washington – +1.202.352.3284
(mob) or FCA Communications Manager Marty Logan in Ottawa – +1.613.241.3927, ext 302;
+1.613.617.1179 (mob); loganm@fctc.org.