Exposing and countering tobacco industry interference in free trade agreements in Africa

This webinar is a knowledge‑sharing session hosted by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) and International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA) to unveil a new report exposing how the tobacco industry is exploiting loopholes in African trade and legal systems. Built on months of technical tracking and consultations with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the analysis highlights how events like Kenya’s EGMS nullification created an enforcement vacuum that weakens tax verification, product tracking, and Rules of Origin implementation. The industry is now using this “chaos narrative” across borders to delay public health legislation and undermine tax and health policies through AfCFTA and EAC‑related legal arguments. With these tactics spreading rapidly, the webinar calls for coordinated regional strategies to help African CSOs counter interference and strengthen enforcement systems.