The World Health Organisation (WHO) has awarded the hosting of a major international conference on tobacco control to South Africa.

An agreement on the hosting of the third Conference of Parties on Tobacco Control has been signed between the minister of health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, and a WHO representative from Geneva, Dr Haik Nokogosian, in Pretoria 25 July 2008.
The Conference of Parties in Durban in November will bring together every country that is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and other global players on tobacco control and is expected to be opened by the WHO director-general.
The hosting of this conference in South Africa is in recognition of the country's achievements in implementing tough tobacco control measures and reducing the level of tobacco use in the country. This year's WHO report on tobacco indicates that the use of tobacco in South Africa declined drastically between 1990 and 2005, a fact that the WHO attributes to tighter control measures and higher taxes. (pi)