Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
19 June 2003
Maputo — Mozambique signed on Wednesday the Convention on the Control of Tobacco, passed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May.
A press release from the Health Ministry says that Health Minister Francisco Songane signed the document on behalf of the Mozambican government at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
The note explains that the convention was negotiated under the auspices of the WHO, and aims at "protecting the health and safeguarding the lives of billions of people of the present and future generations".
"These objectives will be attained essentially through a series of measures that should translate into a significant reduction in the consumption of tobacco products, protection against passive smoking, raising taxes and thus the price of tobacco products, issuing warnings against the dangers of tobacco consumption, and putting an end to illegal tobacco sales", adds the note.
But because many economies, particularly in the developing world, depend on tobacco production, the convention concedes a transition period, during which such countries should gradually shift to other cash crops. This is designed to minimise the negative impact the implementation of the convention may have on those economies.
Mozambique is the 34th country to sign the convention. It needs a total of 40 signatures before it becomes binding on the signatories, who are expected to included it in their domestic legal systems.
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