BBC Coverage of Malawi's failure to sign the FCTC

Malawi fears over tobacco treaty
Malawi, one of the biggest producers of tobacco, is coming under pressure to sign a new treaty limiting its production.
The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has been signed by 168 countries.
Tobacco, or "green gold", accounts for 70% of Malawi's export earnings, the BBC's Health Matters reports.
Some government ministers are concerned signing up to the convention could mean millions are condemned to poverty.
Malawi is the largest producer of burley - a type of tobacco particularly favoured by manufacturers as a filler in cigarettes.
The crop accounts for up to one third of the country's Gross Domestic Product. In Malawi the mantra is tobacco saves, not kills.
But this situation could change. The World Health Organization estimates five million people die from tobacco related illness each year.
'Technical reasons'
The convention seeks to reduce both supply and demand of tobacco and its possible effect is dividing a country that ranks among the 10 poorest nations in the world.
While 168 countries have signed the convention and another 31 have ratified it, it must be ratified by nine more to become meaningful in terms of International law.
Malawi is one of those countries which has yet to sign.
Dr Wesley Sengala of the Ministry of Health ascribes the failure to sign to "technical reasons".
But in a country where smoking rates are relatively low and the burden of tobacco related illness pales into insignificance alongside the HIV/Aids epidemic, public health arguments hold little sway.
However, the convention does take into account tobacco dependent countries.
It offers monetary and technical assistance for countries to wean themselves off tobacco.
Dr Sengala is using these economic and agricultural imperatives to win over the sceptics in government.
"What we are explaining is that we could take advantage of this framework to diversify our economy," he said.
However, not everyone remains convinced. Chakufwa Chiana, the Minister of Agriculture, is palpably aware of the fragility of Malawi's monoculture, but his resistance is based on the effects tobacco controls may have.
He wants to invite the WHO to Malawi to see "the scale of poverty that will engulf the seven million people that will be affected by the impact of this convention".
Yet Malawi may face a more immediate crisis. Over the last 10 years tobacco prices have fallen by up to 50%.
The WHO believes this is a result of the tobacco industry transferring their increasing litigation costs on to the tobacco producers.
Rather than encouraging diversification, the price drops have encouraged farmers to seek out more profitable forms of tobacco - like flue cured.
But Dr Sengala believes change is coming. Following talks with the recently elected President Bingu wa Mutharika, he thinks that Malawi could sign the convention in the next three months.
Signing could be the easiest step. Changing the mindset of Malawian's maybe the greatest challenge of all.