The African Region engagements at COP 11 – the way forward after COP11

By ATIM Director – Prof Lekan Ayo-Yusuf

After three days of COP11 deliberations, two clear patterns have emerged. Across agenda
items 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, the few Parties pushing back on proposed decisions consistently
cited two reasons: concerns about “sovereignty” and “lack of capacity.” However, there
appeared to be notable inconsistencies between these stated reasons and the actual
content of the decisions under consideration.
For example, despite the expert chair’s clear explanation that the recommendations under
agenda item 4.2 were non-binding, certain Parties continued to oppose the decision on
grounds that it imposed “additional obligations” and threatened national sovereignty due to
differing legal frameworks. This suggests that many interventions relied on pre-prepared
talking points rather than the negotiated text — and these talking points closely echoed
familiar tobacco industry narratives. Several observers noted that documents opposing these
items had circulated before the COP began, raising concerns about potential undue industry
influence over the positions taken by some Parties.
Another inconsistency appeared when a Party requested capacity-building support —
precisely the type of support already outlined in the decision under agenda item 4.4. Yet the
same Party opposed redirecting resources from working group meetings toward the very
capacity-building efforts it had requested, proposing instead to re-establish a working group.
Overall, whether or not industry influence is directly at play, these developments show that
several Parties — including those within the African region who opposed regional positions
— require strengthened capacity to engage with the technical nuances of the COP agenda
while fully respecting national sovereignty. Building institutional capacity across government
and among national CSOs, particularly within national coordinating mechanisms, is essential
to reducing vulnerability to industry interference. This is the kind of support that ATIM,
working with regional partners, is well-positioned to deliver.
As we approach the close of COP11, the priority for the region should be to foster greater
cohesion ahead of the next COP, rather than isolating Parties that did not align with the
African Group’s positions this time. The constructive work of focused drafting groups —
which enabled consensus on several agenda items — demonstrates that inclusive, well-
prepared regional coordination is both possible and effective.

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