Our research is grouped within six main themes. Tobacco Taxation To what extent do national policies on tobacco taxation align with international best practice, and how can these be improved and enforced to reduce tobacco consumption? Illicit Trade How can local capacity to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products be increased, advancing implementation of the Protocol to the FCTC? 5.3 / Industry Interference What are the principal barriers experienced by governments in protecting public health policy from tobacco industry interference, with specific reference to taxation and illicit trade? Smoke-free Policies, Shisha and Tobacco Packaging Furthering understanding of smoke-free policies and iniatives Population Surveys Estimating the prevalence of substance use in Ethiopia and further understanding of tobacco use in The Gambia. Covid-19 and Tobacco Exploring the impact of the pandemic on tobacco use. Research & Implementation Methods The research within this programme are organised around addressing three main research themes: tobacco taxation, illicit trade and 5.3/ industry interference. These centre on core tobacco control issues that directly engage with broader challenges in global health and development, constitute priorities in the implementation of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC), and respond to local needs identified by our research partners and by government officials. The overall design of the research is intended to balance feasibility and coherence with responsiveness to locally identified priorities. Research in each of the countries will mainly address the priority areas identified above, creating efficiencies in training and support and enabling the development of comparative research across country contexts. In addition, each country team has identified locally significant research issue(s) in tobacco control, focusing on topics such as smoking cessation and smoke-free public places. This article was published on 2024-09-24