President arrives in India for WHO anti-tobacco conference

President Maithripala Sirisena arrived in India yesterday to take part in a global anti-tobacco conference hosted by India in Delhi.

President Sirisena arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi where he was warmly welcomed by the Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) at the Ministry of External Affairs, Renu Pall, and a special delegation.

The President will take part in the 7th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to be held in Delhi, from 7-12 November. He will deliver the keynote address today at the opening session.

Following his arrival, the Sri Lankan President met his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for bilateral discussions.

The President will leave for Colombo today following the inaugural session of the conference.

The conference, which will bring together the WHO FCTC›s 180 parties as well as regional economic integration organisations like the European Union, will review the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

The Sri Lankan President, who served as the Minister of Health in the previous Government, is a strong advocate of tobacco control and successfully implemented laws to display pictorial warnings covering up to 80% of both sides of cigarette packets.

Ministers Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Faizer Mustapha are accompanying the President on this visit.