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Imagine more than 100 nations coming together to confront some of the world's most powerful and dangerous corporations. Now imagine that most of the world's countries agree that public health should be prioritized over international tobacco corporations. If you can imagine these scenarios, you have caught a glimpse of the groundbreaking fifth round of negotiations on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world's first public health treaty.

In one of the most important developments for the corporate accountability movement to date, a majority of countries are moving resolutely towards a strong, enforceable FCTC. With 25 years' experience directly challenging corporate abuse, Infact's playing a lead role in ensuring that the FCTC effectively reins in Big Tobacco's deadly practices.

All indications are that the treaty will ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship an issue at the heart of Infact's Tobacco Industry campaign since its launch in 1993. However, Philip Morris and its allies are aggressively lobbying for loopholes that would allow continued promotion of Tobacco with images like the Marlboro Manarguably the world's leading source of youth tobacco addiction.

Led by countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, most of the world is ready to resist bullying and intimidation by the US, Japan and Germany - three wealthy countries where tobacco transnational like Philip Morris have major interests. The FCTC is poised to set a dramatic global precedent for other issues where human rights and environmental protection come into conflict with powerful economic interests.

The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) - launched by Infact in 1999 and made up on consumer, environmental, human rights and corporate accountability organizations from 50 countries - has been at the center of challenging the handful of countries working to weaken the FCTC. At this round of treaty talks, NATT again issued 'Marlboro Man Awards' to countries for espousing treaty positions that benefit transnational tobacco corporations at the expense of public health.

Germany's Marlboro Man Award was reported on the front page of one of the country's largest newspapers and on the German Public Radio Network, creating significant pressure on Germany for its obstructionist role in the talks.

Throughout the two-week negotiating session, the US tried desperately to weaken the treaty's key provisions, while threatening not to sign the treaty if the language is too strong. NATT helped to educate FCTC delegates on the US's history of weakening and then opting out of international agreements on human rights and environmental issues.

With the treaty scheduled to be adopted in May 2003, Big Tobacco turned out in full force for the second - to last round of talks. Top - level B.A.T. executives and lawyers from firms representing Philip Morris front groups were in heavy attendance at the negotiations. With a 67% stake in Japan Tobacco International, Japan's Ministry of Finance staunchly advocated positions that favour tobacco transnationals throughout the talks.

The high profile release of a new report by Infact - Dirty Dealings: Big Tobacco's Lobbying, Pay-offs and Public Relations to Undermine National and Global Health Policies - directly challenged the corporations working to block the FCTC's progress.

At the press conference releasing Dirty Dealings, NATT members Bejon Misra (Consumer VOICE, India) and Muyunda Ililonga (Zambian Consumers Association) joined Infact Executive Director Kathryn Mulvey in speaking to a room packed with reporters.

The press conference kicked off worldwide media coverage of efforts by tobacco transnationals and their country allies to weaken the FCTC. The Associated Press, Agence France Presse, Kuwait News Agency, BBC World Service, Japan Today, Inter Press Service, East African Standard, the Press Trust of India, and many other news agencies covered Infact's and NATT's hard hitting message.

The next several months will be decisive for the protection of future generations from the exploits of Philip Morris and its allies. Infact's Tobacco Industry Campaign has helped pry open a window of political possibility for unprecedented global action to control a deadly industry. The FCTC must not only take meaningful steps to reverse the global tobacco epidemic, but also send the message that countries around the world are resisting a powerful, profitable industry and emphatically prioritizing public health over corporate profits!

- Swarna Hansa Foundation (Swarna Hansa is afflicted to INFACT, a Boston based NGO challenging corporate abuse).

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