Strengthening Tobacco Control Data in Ethiopia: A Milestone Event

The Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI) Ethiopia convened  stakeholders in Addis Ababa on Thursday, 6th August 2026 to discuss the use of data to strengthen tobacco control policy and implementation., The meeting, organised by  Health, Development, and Anti-malaria Association (HDAMA), the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), and Development Gateway (DG), brought together representatives from government, civil society, academia, media, and development partners.

A key focus of the meeting was  the TCDI Ethiopia Dashboard, which provides reliable data to support evidence-based policymaking, strengthen policy implementation, and foster multi-sectoral collaboration.

The meeting also featured  the launch of the Amharic-language interface, expanding access to critical tobacco control data for grassroots users and youth. Additionally, participants also took part in a technical working group session that utilised TCDI’s data modelling to examine  effective tobacco excise tax policies. Through robust dialogue, participants identified strategies to enhance data validation, institutional ownership, and long-term sustainability, effectively bridging the gap between raw data and actionable policy advocacy.