Why should the FCTC be developed and negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization, rather than, for example, under the umbrella of the United Nations?
The World Health Organization is the only international multilateral organization that brings together the technical and public health expertise necessary to serve as a platform for the negotiation and effective implementation of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control. Although the United Nations also has the legal authority to sponsor the creation of international instruments on tobacco control, the UN has neither the specialized technical expertise nor the time to engage in negotiating complex standards on tobacco control, particularly if extensive negotiation of the Convention is required.
