Established in 2007, the Convention Secretariat serves as Secretariat of both the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (the Protocol).

The role and work of the Convention Secretariat are governed by Article 24 of the WHO FCTC and Article 34 of the Protocol, and further defined by decisions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO FCTC and the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Protocol, including the Rules of Procedures of the COP, and of the MOP.

The Convention Secretariat is hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, however, it has a distinct mandate, function and governance from WHO. The Convention Secretariat implements, and reports on, workplans and budgets adopted by the COP and MOP.

The Convention Secretariat works in alignment with WHO. While having programmatic independence on treaty matters, the Convention Secretariat cooperates with relevant departments and units of WHO, for coherence in relation to tobacco control.  

The Convention Secretariat functions are to support the governing and subsidiary bodies of the treaties, to provide assistance to Parties to the WHO FCTC, and to Parties to the Protocol, and to promote the two treaties, through cooperation with international organizations and bodies, non-governmental organizations and external stakeholders.

Taking into account the specific provisions of the WHO FCTC and the Protocol,  as well as the central role of the Convention Secretariat in supporting the implementation of the WHO FCTC and the Protocol, the Convention Secretariat abides by strict policies to prevent and address conflicts of interests with the tobacco industry, and its front groups, and other vested commercial interests as appropriate.

Areas of work

Its main functions aim at:

- Support the organization and follow-up on COP and MOP sessions

- Support the work of the COP and MOP Bureaus

- Support the working groups and expert groups established by COP and MOP

- Assist working and expert groups in the preparation of instruments supporting implementation of the Convention

  and Protocol

- Raise awareness about the treaty instruments adopted by the COP and the MOP

- Conduct the biennial reporting cycle of the COP and the MOP

- Develop the Global Progress Report for the treaties

- Prepare in-depth analyses linked to priorities identified by Parties to the treaties

- Manage the Coordination Platform for the treaties

- Coordinate the work of Knowledge Hubs and of Observatories on tobacco industry’s tactics

- Provide technical assistance to Parties upon request

- Carry out joint needs assessments and provide post-mission assistance

- Identify challenges and best practice to enhance global and regional cooperation

- Promote regional workshops on treaty matters

- Support Parties on issues related to liability, on request

- Enhance cooperation with IGOs and NGOs observers to COP and MOP

- Promote South-South and Triangular cooperation

- Collaborate with the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs

- Collaborate with UN agencies and processes on issues of common interest, such as on  human rights

- Promote the treaties within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

- Make use of social communication channels to raise awareness about the WHO FCTC and the Protocol

- Increase the visibility of the treaties, the decisions of the COP and MOP, and of the Convention Secretariat work

- Disseminate technical knowledge on tobacco control, and contribute to information materials, in line with COP

  and MOP decisions