Date
TJNA and other Tobacco Tax Advocacy in Africa (TTAA) project partners will host an inception meeting for the Rural Health Advocacy Program, which will work under the auspices of the WITS Health Consortium, from July 8th to 10th in Johannesburg, outh Africa. The meeting will provide a platform for tobacco control stakeholders to identify synergies and determine the project’s role in relation to tobacco control policy in South Africa and collaboratively develop a joint civil society action plan to ensure targeted advocacy for policy change.
In June 2024, South Africa experienced a major shift in its political landscape when the ruling African National Congress lost its majority rule for the first time in 30 years. This loss necessitated the formation of a Government of National Unity with other parties, as required by the constitution. This change is expected to impact national policy development, with priorities likely to shift as key officeholders are removed or reassigned, potentially disrupting institutional relationships. Consequently, it is essential, for policy planning, to identify the key players or influencers in tobacco tax policy and health governance.
The inclusion of South Africa is of strategic importance because, as a regional hub for big tobacco companies such as Phillip Morris and British American Tobacco, setting a strong precedent on the treatment of tobacco products has a ripple effect on the rest of the continent. Also, as Africa’s largest economy, economic and social policy shifts tend to impact the region and wider continent.
TTAA is led by the TJNA, in a collaborative effort with civil society organisations and inter-governmental organisations through the African Tobacco Tax Consortium. The project aims to enhance tobacco tax advocacy in Africa to achieve significant policy change to reduce the affordability and consumption of tobacco products by increasing excise taxes, which are crucial for generating significant revenue, mitigating the healthcare costs associated with tobacco, and safeguarding public health. The TTAA implementing partners are based in seven project countries: Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, and most recently, South Africa.
For more details about the conference, please contact cmange[@]taxjusticeafrica.net.