GAPA Policy positions

Indigenous peoples worldwide experience significant and intergenerational alcohol-related harm and inequity. GAPA’s interim policy statement in support of Indigenous-led aspirations for effective alcohol policy is the outcome of the space provided at GAPC 2023 for Indigenous peoples to connect, discuss shared and unique issues, and identify a way forward.

In the IAEG-SDGs 2025 Comprehensive Review of the SDG indicators, GAPA made a submission in response to the proposal by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) to amend indicator 3.5.2 (alcohol per capita consumption (APC)) with prevalence of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

In May 2024 the World Health Organisation conducted an online hearing to inform the recommendations to be included in the report of the WHO Director-General to the World Health Assembly (WHA) 2025 in preparation for the fourth High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases to be held in September 2025. In the consultation GAPA made the following submission.

In 2021 the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) wrote a letter to the CEO of the newly formed WHO Foundation, formed to enhance funding of the World Health Organization. GAPA expressed concerns about the WHO Foundation’s gift acceptance policy.

A group of 106 community and public health leaders from 60 countries and six continents are calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to stop its closed-door meetings with alcohol lobbyists, which allow companies that profit from alcoholic products to have unprecedented access to leaders who are responsible for advancing global health.

In early April the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance and Regional Alliances sent a letter to the Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, raising concerns about the WHO interaction with alcohol industry.

The present draft Alcohol action plan will be discussed at the WHA75. Given its background and its bundling into the NCD suite of documents, GAPA support the adoption of the compromise text as it is. If, however, the matter is opened for negotiations in the WHA, GAPA recommends promoting the following in the action plan.

Coming up to the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) deliberations on the Global Alcohol Action Plan the World Medical Association (WMA) and the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) have issued a joint statement welcoming the WHO commitment to boost the dynamic by developing an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the Global strategy on alcohol.

The WHO Alcohol Action Plan will be coming up at the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in the end of May 2022. GAPA has issued the following policy position for the WHO deliberation of the Alcohol Action Plan.

In March World Health Organization European Regional Office conducted a public consultation to reduce alcohol consumption. GAPA made a submission.

GAPA congratulates the World Heart Federation with the publication of its policy brief: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures. In support of the policy brief GAPA issued the short statement.

For the discussion in the WHO Executive Board or any intersessional meetings, GAPA wants to ensure the text of the draft alcohol action plan is not weakened and want to promote some key issues.

In the WHO process to develop an Alcohol action plan, a second draft has been prepared for consultation with Member States. GAPA has issued some Key points on the second draft.

GAPA key points on the 1st draft of the WHO Global alcohol action plan

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance has followed with interest the debate around issuing alcohol licences at petrol stations in South Africa and in a letter to Presiden Cyril Ramaphosa raised concern over the present development.

In response to the November 2020 ‘Working document for development of an action plan’ GAPA issued some key advocacy points and made the attached submission.

Joint statement from GAPA and Vital Strategies regarding WHO consultation on the Working Document for the development of an action plan to strengthen implementation of the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

Following WHO EB decision to ”accelerate action to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2022-2030” GAPA has issued the ‘GAPA principles for advocacy 2020 – 2022 and key recommendations” for this process.

24 October 2019 GAPA issued a Position Paper on the implementation of WHO’s global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol during the first decade since its endorsement, and the way forward.

Submission by the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance to the web-based consultation (10-16 May 2018) on the WHO Independent High-level Commission on NCDs draft report.

In a joint open letter to United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Executive Director, Mr Nikhil Seth, dated 13 March 2018 GAPA has reiterated the concerns over UNITAR having entered into partnership with the world’s biggest brewing company, Anheuser-Busch InBev.

On 1 February 2018 GAPA together with IOGT International and NCD Alliance sent a joint letter of concern to The Global Fund regarding the announced partnership between The Global Fund and Heineken.

February 2013, Statement of Concern: The international public health community responds to the global alcohol producers’ attempts to implement the WHO Global Strategy on the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

In the development goals that will follow the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) alcohol needs to be addressed, says the Global Alcoholhol Policy Alliance. Alcohol is a key determinant for ill health and an obstacle to development.

Ahead of the September 2011 UN High Level Meeting on NCDs GAPA joined with a number of like minded NGOs to draft a Statement of Concern related to the involvement of the private sector in the UN High Level process.

GAPA brief on Alcohol and NCDs, 17 February 2011

GAPA submission in WHO consultation on the Global alcohol strategy, November 2008