T
obacco’s productive and industrial activity faced a new pack of opposing
pressures, in early November 2016, at the 7th Conference of the Parties
(COP7) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), held in
NewDelhi, in India. And exceeded expectations in the debate.
First global publichealth treaty establishedby theWorldHealthOrgani-
zation (WHO), was ratified by 181 countries, of the 140 that attended the conference. At
the end, after a week of meetings and heated debates by antismoking advocates, there
was no specific threat to the continuity of the crop that is one of the most important
items on the Brazilian export agenda. Now, the next Framework Convention, the COP8,
will be in Geneva, in late 2018.
Tobaccosupply
chaincomesout
ofCOP7,heldin
NewDelhi, India,
convincedthat
tobaccofarming
willnotsufferany
restrictions
inBrazil
The venue of COP7was the Expo Centre &Mart de Greater Noida, metropolitan region in the capital of India, from
7 to 13November, andwas attendedby one thousandpeople, including delegates fromgovernments, leaderships of
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and fromcivil society. Brazil’s official delegationwas thebiggest in the event,
totaling 18members, besides the ambassador of the Country in India, Tovar da Silva Nunes, who headed the group.
Just like what had happened in previous editions, the tobacco supply chain also got mobilized. Though not be-
ingallowed to the roomof thedebateswithin theCOP, leaderships andauthorities, especially fromSouthBrazil, tried
to stay as close as possible to the scenario of the debates so as to get information frommembers of the Brazilian del-
egation. At the same time, they tried to provide the Brazilian ambassador with inputs on the socioeconomic impor-
tance of tobacco farming.
Upwards of 20 people represented the sector, among them: the president of the Tobacco Growers’ Association of
Brazil (Afubra), Benício AlbanoWerner, and the secretary of the association, Romeu Schneider, also a consultant with
the Tobacco Sectoral Chamber, of theMinistry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (Mapa); the president of the
Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco), Iro Schünke; the president of the Brazilian Tobacco Industry Asso-
ciation (Abifumo), Carlos Galant; the president of the Sectoral Chamber, Airton Artus, besides politicians, represen-
tatives of the Tobacco Growing Municipalities Association (Amprotabaco), as well as state deputies of Rio Grande do
Sul, members of the Federation of Agricultural Workers, and leaderships of other states.
India
After
Country’
s delegation was the biggest of all at COP7
Romar Beling
FromNewDelhi, in India
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