Advocacy meeting with officials of the city administration (mayor’s office), EFDA, AAFDA, Sub Cities AAFDA branch heads.

On November 19, 2024, an advocacy meeting was convened to galvanize political commitment from higher officials, particularly from the mayor’s office, regarding the Tobacco Control Project (TC Project). The meeting served as a platform to assess the current status of political commitment and discuss the implications of recent developments on the TC Project. The meeting was organized into two main sections: presentations and stakeholders discussion. The first presentation was delivered by the Meqoamia Community Development Organization (MCDO), which focused on the ongoing TC Project, providing recent updates and highlighting achievements as well as areas requiring further attention. Following this, representatives from three sub-cities—Gullele, Lideta, and Arada—presented their progress in implementing the TC Project, discussing their achievements, challenges faced, and proposed resolutions to overcome these challenges.

The stakeholder’s discussion was pivotal in identifying key issues affecting the TC Project. Participants assessed the current political commitment towards the TC Project, emphasizing the need for sustained support from the mayor’s office. A significant point of concern was the recent Corridor Development initiative introduced by the Prime Minister and implemented by the City Administration. This development has implications for the TC Project, particularly in areas affected by reconstruction and renovation, leading to the relocation or closure of many establishments. This situation necessitates an urgent assessment to understand its impact on tobacco control efforts.