Indonesia to accede to FCTC by year end

Indonesian Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi has said that her country will accede to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) before the end of this year, according to a story by Nadya Natahadibrata for The Jakarta Post.

“The treaty accession will be completed through a presidential decree,” Nafsiah was quoted as saying. “The president has agreed. God willing we will accede to the treaty before the end of the year.”

Nafsiah said that three ministries, the Trade Ministry, Industry Ministry and the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, which had previously rejected accession on the grounds that it would hurt tobacco farmers and reduce the state’s income from tobacco excise, had now agreed to Indonesia becoming a party to the FCTC.

According to Nafsiah, the government is currently drafting the text of the decree, which is to be submitted to the Foreign Ministry before being signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.