International Meeting to Advance Tobacco Control and Sustainable Development Underway in Yerevan

The three-day meeting, running from 25 to 27 March, was convened by the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) country office in Armenia. Participants are reviewing progress in tobacco control, addressing challenges in implementing the WHO FCTC – a global public health treaty that entered into force in 2005 – and setting priorities for future action.  

The meeting is taking place in Armenia, recognizing the country’s progress in tobacco control with support from FCTC 2030.

“The policy of combating tobacco and forming a culture of a healthy lifestyle in general is a priority for our Government and the Ministry of Health in particular,” said Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of Armenia. “The process of adopting the law was quite difficult, but I am glad that political will helped us move forward.”

She warned of efforts by the tobacco industry to target children and adolescents with new technologies and unscrupulous forms of marketing of tobacco and nicotine-containing products and called for stronger efforts to protect their health, as well as the health of the entire population.

“The FCTC 2030 project serves as a vital pillar to protect the population from the harms of tobacco and thereby contribute to sustainable development,” she said.

FCTC 2030 is the flagship development assistance initiative of the WHO FCTC Secretariat, supporting low- and middle-income countries in implementing evidence-based tobacco control measures. The WHO FCTC aims to reduce the health, economic, social and environmental consequences of tobacco use while contributing to broader development goals.

“Addressing the health, economic, social and environmental consequences of tobacco use requires sustained commitment and strong collaboration,” said Andrew Black, acting Head of the WHO FCTC Secretariat. “FCTC 2030 helps countries from around the world cooperate, share practical solutions and move forward to with policy-making to finally end the global tobacco epidemic.”

Throughout the meeting, participating countries will discuss progress in implementing national tobacco control plans, share lessons learned and identify priorities for future action. Discussions will focus on key policy areas, including regulation of new types of tobacco products, enforcement of tobacco control laws, the benefits of health warnings on packaging and measures to combat illicit trade.

“The FCTC 2030 project has been instrumental in strengthening our national tobacco control efforts and advancing key policies,” said Ntombifuthi Ginindza-Mdluli, tobacco control focal point at the Ministry of Health in Eswatini. “It has also created opportunities to learn from other countries facing similar challenges, and this has been essential as we work to sustain progress.”

As a FCTC 2030 project country since 2020, Armenia will highlight its national experience, including legislative advances and implementation efforts. The country’s 2020 tobacco control law introduced strengthened measures for smoke-free work and public places, advertising and promotion restrictions, packaging and labeling requirements, cessation support and strengthened tobacco taxation.

“Armenia’s continued efforts to strengthen tobacco control are commendable,” said Dr Siddhartha Datta, WHO Representative in Armenia. “By translating commitment into concrete action through the FCTC 2030 initiative, the country is setting a clear path toward a healthier future and protecting generations to come.”

Armenia also will host next year’s sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC and the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, positioning the country at the centre of global efforts to advance tobacco control.

This year’s FCTC 2030 meeting will also serve as a platform to further shape 2026 workplans, with countries expected to define priorities, agree on concrete actions and strengthen collaboration through South–South cooperation and knowledge exchange.

The FCTC 2030 initiative forms part of broader global efforts to reduce tobacco use, which claims more than 7 million lives annually, making it one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide.

More information on the WHO FCTC and the FCTC 2030 project is available at:  https://fctc.who.int/convention/development-assistance/fctc-2030