Tobacco control South South Cooperation as a powerful tool to achieve health related issues in the 2030 Agenda

Introduction Tobacco use is one the four main behavioral risk factors for Non Communicable diseases (NCDs). Addressing other risk factors requires many of the same approaches, as does addressing tobacco control. NCDs and tobacco share persistent lack of development assistance and financing shortages. Thus, SSTC on tobacco control could be applied to help countries prevent and control NCDs. Intervention Highlight results from SSTC for tobacco control and position it as a high-value means of implementation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Raise awareness and strengthened support and partnerships for SSTC work on tobacco control and NCDs, and better understand of how best to leverage SSTC for other global health challenges. Methodology: Examine the potential to scale up initial work to support tobacco control and to advance health, health equity and sustainable development more broadly. Results The 2030 Agenda sends a message that current tobacco use trends and sustainable development cannot coexist. Target 3.a., commits all countries to implement the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Effective implementation of the WHO FCTC is crucial for reducing premature mortality from NCDs (target 3.4), and can deliver shared gains across the agenda, given the multidirectional relationship between tobacco, poverty (SDG 1), food security (SDG 2), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), inequalities (SDG 10) and other goals. Conclusions SSTC cooperation and WHO FCTC implementation offer possibilities of utilizing the existing United Nations institutional framework for SSTC, including under the ‘One United Nations’ initiative and ‘Delivering as One’ at the country level