Administrative

Seklaoui during national tobacco companies meeting in Cairo: international decisions thread the sector and its working force

27 February 2018
Seklaoui during national tobacco companies meeting in Cairo: international decisions thread the sector and its working force
During the third meeting of national tobacco companies, held in Cairo between yesterday Wednesday and today Thursday and included Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, and a representative of Iraq as an observer, the Regie’s President and Director General Mr. Nassif Seklaoui, warned of "international decisions threatening tobacco sector” and State Parties. “The most serious” is the COP 8’s ongoing search to classify tobacco farming as a “threat to the climate” as it “affects the working force of tobacco sector”.
He stressed in his speech the importance of “exchanging expertise and sharing experiences”, since “each national institution has its own specificity, competence, and economic role”.
 
Seklaoui said that “tobacco sector in Lebanon, despite the country’s small size, is one of the leading sectors supporting national treasury considering the economic, social, and developmental role it plays”. “The Regie is the fifth source of support for the Lebanese treasury (7.5% of gross revenue), while its revenue was $ 444 million during 2017”. He expressed his pride of the Regie that “has become one of the leading tobacco manufacturer in MENA region, obtaining ISO 9001 certificate. Its role is not limited to manufacturing 9 local brands; it also supports more than 25,000 tobacco farmers in various Lebanese regions from north to south and Bekaa, and imports 150 brands for more than 70 companies”. “The Regie is the first Lebanese public facility to develop a sustainable development strategy for the next 10 years, contributing to developmental projects in more than 170 villages”.
 
According to Seklaoui a common cause unifies national tobacco companies of Party States, which is to protect tobacco sector against the challenges it faces. He added: "since the last meeting in Beirut we are still active on several fronts. After the Declaration of Beirut 2, we initiated contact with various governmental bodies such as the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and General Directorate of Customs ..., intensified coordination with relevant authorities, and increased awareness about the risk of some tobacco international laws over both tobacco sector and national economy. We informed officials that were keen to choose well informed representatives of our country abroad and vote on international tobacco laws”.
 
"We are preparing to host a conference about combating illegal trade on the 28th of the current month in Beirut, to which we are pleased to invite you. We hope that this initiative will increase awareness of the public and reduce smuggling, which causes financial waste and deprives the state of millions of dollars as tax revenues annually.
 
"The conference comes simultaneously with international decisions that threaten this sector and the economies of our countries in terms of preventing the WTO from legalizing tobacco trade. However, the most important issue is the COP 8 attempt to address the dangers of tobacco farming over the environment as a climate threat; an exaggerating and unscientific rhetoric that poses tobacco sector as a threat to the planet. It is the most dangerous since it affects working force of tobacco sector and even the sovereignty of our countries, insomuch as climate related matters are mandatory and imposed on governments.” He said.
“The health of our farmers and our citizens is our concern but how can this Conference lose sight of the consequences of shutting tobacco sector?” He asked: “Are alternatives available in our countries? Would we allow random provisions to be imposed on us regardless each country’s peculiarities and interests?”
He added: “Dangers and damages will be numerous if we do not act straightaway; each from his position, jurisdiction, and responsibility”. Seklaoui considered that the opportunity is available today. Thus it was yesterday from Beirut, today from Egypt, and tomorrow from Tunisia or perhaps Syria. However, more important than acting is acting jointly toward the same direction, with a clear vision and a common plan.”
 
Haroun
The head of the Eastern Tobacco Company, Mohamed Osman Haroun, said that this company is “one of the Egyptian economy’s pillars that provided national treasury with 43 billion pounds last year; the second income after the Suez Canal”. Nevertheless, tobacco industry is “under a vicious attack”, thus the need to “protect the industry from the challenges it faces considering the role of companies in supporting national economy of each country.”
 
Declaration of Cairo
The participants stressed “the importance of full and continuous coordination between their countries to stand against those risks in a way that preserves this industry.
According to the attendants; “the WTO is the only international reference to discuss the legitimacy of tobacco trade and its effects”. They called “not to withdraw this jurisdiction from this well respected and appreciated global organization.”
 
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