By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma
The 11th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), scheduled to take place at the Geneva International Conference Centre in Switzerland from November 17 to 22, has faced growing criticism for its lack of transparency during meetings.
While the WHO FCTC does not outright ban media attendance at COP sessions, it imposes strict accreditation and vetting procedures that significantly limit press participation. Members of the media may only attend if they have been thoroughly accredited and vetted in advance by the Convention Secretariat, in line with United Nations and WHO policies. The justification for this restriction is to prevent what the Secretariat considers potential “industry infiltration” disguised as journalism.
However, by refusing access to journalists, researchers, and members of the public, the COP has been accused of making crucial policy decisions without independent oversight.
In an interview with HealthTimes, Joseph Magero, Chairperson of the Campaign for Safer Alternatives, said the practice of blocking media access raises serious transparency concerns.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has repeatedly been criticised for its lack of transparency during COP meetings, mainly due to strict media blackouts and closed-door sessions,” said Magero.
He added that by preventing journalists, researchers, and members of the public from observing proceedings, the COP process fosters an opaque culture in which major policy decisions are made without independent scrutiny.
“This secrecy fuels suspicion that discussions are influenced more by politics than evidence, and it undermines the principles of accountability expected in global public health treaty negotiations,” Magero noted.
He also stressed that when governments gather to shape policies that affect millions worldwide, including farmers in Africa and consumers globally, excluding the media removes a vital layer of public oversight and limits citizens’ understanding of how decisions are reached.
At COP FCTC meetings, media and public attendance is typically restricted to plenary and open sessions, while many subsidiary body meetings remain closed or highly limited for “security and confidentiality” reasons. Although some sessions are streamed or summarised, most detailed deliberations occur behind closed doors, accessible only to Parties, accredited observers, and vetted media.
These restrictive measures contrast sharply with other UN conventions, where media access is generally broader, reflecting long-standing concerns that the FCTC’s approach may be overly cautious due to fears of tobacco industry interference.
“Blocking media access essentially means shutting out professional observers whose job is to provide accurate, balanced reporting to the public,” Magero added. “Without journalists, citizens have no neutral source of information on what their delegations are advocating for, what scientific evidence is being discussed, or how these policies may affect public health and national economies.”
He emphasized that allowing accredited media would not only build trust but also ensure that policy debates remain informed, factual, and publicly accountable.
