ITIC shakes off ties to tobacco firms

The International Tax and Investment Centre (ITIC) Board has adopted a resolution to immediately sever links with tobacco companies. In a resolution of a special committee of the Board, ITIC resolved that it will no longer accept sponsorship from tobacco companies. Further, no representative from tobacco firms will serve on its Board. According to the ITIC President Daniel Witts, the decision was taken to address concerns raised by a number of anti-tobacco NGOs who have consistently petitioned the organization to support the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In his statement Mr Witt added “the anti-tobacco campaign became too great a distraction from the ITIC’s mission, and this was a necessary to safeguard ITIC’s reputation and ensure its long-term effectiveness”.

As a long standing partner of the ITIC, CATA welcomes this policy development and looks forward to working more closely on areas of mutual interest.