“The Index has given us a new vision to do tobacco control. Since launching Côte d'Ivoire’s Index and seeing its impact, we don’t attend any meetings with government officials without the Index. The Index has helped us to protect two implementing texts of Law No. 2019-676 of 23 July 2019 on tobacco control from tobacco industry interference. Texts that had been withdrawn during a previous Council of Ministers and delayed have now been implemented, that is plain packaging of tobacco and track and trace of illicit tobacco products.”

Lacina Tall
Comité Unesco Universitaire pour la lutte contre la drogue et autres pandémies (CLUCOD)

More than 9,000 people die from tobacco related diseases in Côte d'Ivoire every year according to 2018 Tobacco Atlas. Côte d'Ivoire ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2010, however measures to protect public health had been making only slow progress.

The main tobacco companies operating in Côte d'Ivoire are Imperial Tobacco’s local subsidiary, Société Ivoirienne des Tabacs (SITAB) and BAT West & Central Africa. Tobacco products are promoted directly at points of sale at kiosks and indirectly through branded promotional materials such as aprons and parasols provided by the tobacco companies. The advertising of tobacco products at retailers is still visible in supermarkets such as King Cash, Citydia and Sococé Mall.

In addition, there are new outlets selling shisha in the shops (ABOBO, Cocody and Yopougon) in Abidjan. Cigars, shisha and electronic cigarettes are also promoted and sold online through platforms such as JUMIA.

Tobacco companies, through the CGECI (General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d'Ivoire) which represents nearly 80% of the country's private sector, each year lobby for the reduction of the tax schedule on tobacco products.

In 2019, the government strengthened the tobacco control measures through the Law No. 2019-676[i] which require health warnings to go from text-only to prominent pictorial warning that will cover 70% of the pack surface. However, due to tobacco industry interferences the enforcement of the legislation had not been passed.

Policy makers do not disclose their interactions with tobacco companies and there is no code of conduct to guide officials in their interactions with the tobacco industry.

New Opportunity through the Index

In 2021, CLUCOD produced the Tobacco Industry Interference Index for the first time.[ii] CLUCOD launched the index in October 2021 through a press briefing. The index presented a new opportunity to step up advocacy in tobacco control measures. 

Following the press briefing, several meetings were held with key government officials to increase their awareness on industry interference and advocate for advancement of tobacco control measures. The index was presented to the Technical Advisor in charge of Health to the Prime Minister, the Technical Advisor to the Minister of Budget and State Portfolio in charge of tax and customs matters and the Minister of Trade and Industry 

Outcome of Advocacy with the Index

Index findings illustrated how the tobacco industry has been undermining tobacco control efforts. Exposing instances of interference through the index helped to create awareness among senior policy makers and officials and encouraged them to apply WHO FCTC Article 5.3.  The General Union of Large Industrial Enterprises of Côte d'Ivoire wanted to be involved in the development of draft decrees on the tracking and tracing system for tobacco products and plain packaging. However, the government did not allow them.

The Index has helped to protect two implementing texts of Law No. 2019-676 of 23 July 2019 on tobacco control against interference by the tobacco industry. Texts that had been withdrawn previously, namely the decrees on plain packaging of tobacco and the tracking and tracing system of tobacco products were reinstated. These two decrees were adopted by the Council of Ministers with the support of several leading ministries such as the Ministry of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection.

The index is timely and important because the tobacco industry is planning to expand its business in Côte d'Ivoire. Imperial has stated, “The Africa region continues to be an attractive portfolio of markets with opportunities for further value growth. … while our focus on local jewel brands delivered share gains in Burkina Faso and the Côte d’Ivoire.”[iii] The index is a valuable tool that documents and exposes the industry’s interference to undermine tobacco control in Côte d'Ivoire.

About CLUCOD: CLUCOD was created in 1992 by students to the fight against the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs in a university environment. CLUCOD is a founding member of the CAU-CI network for the Education for Citizenship and the Consolidation of Democracy.

[i] Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Legislation by Country: Cote d’Ivoire. Available from: https://bit.ly/3mSgnQa
[ii] ATCA. Cote d’Ivoire: Indice d’ingérence de l’industrie du Tabac 2021. Available from: https://bit.ly/3OmRU1a
[iii] ATCA. Africa – Imperial Tobacco’s “unloved asset to a platform for future growth”. 9 February 2022. Available from: https://bit.ly/3wQz4bt