UN backtracks on decision to end Big Tobacco ties

In an embarrassing mixup, the UN labour agency says it has shelved a decision on ending its ties with Big Tobacco, correcting its own statement earlier Thursday indicating it would cut ties to an industry faulted for major health risks.

International Labor Organization spokesman Hans von Rohland cited a mistake in which the “tripartite” UN agency — bringing together business, labour groups and governments — had previously said it would stop taking funds from the tobacco industry and end their publicprivate partnerships.

“We sent you the wrong version of the decision taken by the ILO Governing Body on ILO cooperation with the tobacco industry,” von Rohland said in an email to reporters. “The ILO has not at this stage made a decision to end co-operation with the tobacco industry.”

“We are very sorry for this error in transmission,” he added.

Instead of the four-point decision initially sent to reporters, the agency issued a revised, onepoint decision saying its governing body had instructed its director-general to present an “integrated ILO strategy to address decent work deficits in the tobacco sector” at its next meeting in March.

Anti-tobacco groups say the ILO is the last UN agency to retain ties to the tobacco business.

The Geneva-based body has struggled to calibrate its mandate to help ensure proper working conditions, particularly in an industry linked to child labour, amid a broader UN fight against the health risks of tobacco use.

The ILO has received more than $15 million through partnerships that aim to fight child labour in the industry.