Outcomes of the ECOSOC 2008 Substantive Session
WHO/Tobacco Free Initiative organized a high-level lunchtime seminar during the Coordination Segment of the Substantive Session of ECOSOC on Tuesday 8 July at UN Headquarters in New York. The briefing aimed to raise awareness about the importance of the ECOSOC smoke-free resolution adopted in 2006 by ECOSOC (resolution E/2006/42) calling for the United Nations to become smoke-free. Dr Muñoz, the Minister of Health of Uruguay, chaired the meeting. Keynote speakers included Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, WHO; Dr Judith Mackay, Senior Policy Adviser to the WHO; Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director, Tobacco Free Initiative, WHO; Dr Tom Frieden, Commissioner, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, USA and Dr María Julia Muñoz, Minister of Health, Uruguay.
The Secretary-General's report to ECOSOC on the activities of the Task Force was presented on 22 July 2008. Following the presentation, the Members of ECOSOC unanimously adopted a decision recalling resolution 2006/42 of 27 July 2006 on smoke-free United Nations premises and recommending that the General Assembly, at its sixty-third session, consider the recommendations set out in that resolution.