CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
A civil society response to the tobacco industry's interference in raising tobacco taxes in Côte d'Ivoire from 2023 to 2024
 
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1
Sciences Sociales, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire
 
2
Tobacco Control, ONG ROCTA-CI, Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire
 
 
Publication date: 2025-06-23
 
 
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2025;23(Suppl 1):A113
 
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ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Despite progress in the legal framework, Côte d'Ivoire had one of the lowest levels of taxation on tobacco products in West Africa. This situation is facilitated by strong interference from the tobacco industry. Since 2022, tobacco control actors have taken multifaceted actions to counter the tobacco industry, which led to an increase in tobacco taxes from 42% in 2023 to 70% in 2024. This document aims to share the experience of civil society and its partners.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Several approaches have been taken to achieve our goal. First, we have designed an explanatory note on the increase in taxes to the state and the population. Then, with these materials, we sent letters to government agencies, including the Ministers of Health, Trade, Budget and Finance of the State to request visits and advocacy meetings. Finally, a tobacco monitoring team composed of civil society and media stakeholders was put on alert.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: Various meetings, interviews, and visits were conducted with the ministers and senior officials of the relevant administrations. Tobacco industry's monitoring and press conferences followed by publications in newspapers and the audiovisual press have enabled us to reveal and denounce all the interferences. Civil society's actions have been supported by collaboration with government bodies and the National Assembly. This process led to the adoption the 2025 scale by the National Assembly, which accepted an increase from 49% to 70%.
CONCLUSIONS: It is recognized that high taxation has a proven impact on the cost of tobacco, which in turn affects smoking prevalence. The 28% increase in taxation could be a significant step forward in improving the health of the population and could also be a source of revenue for the financing of tobacco control policy. This achievement highlights the importance and need to promote tobacco industry monitoring in the implementation of any tobacco control policy.
eISSN:1617-9625
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