Minister Verrall travelling to attend World Cancer Congress and Global Mental Health Summit

Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall will depart for Europe and Singapore tomorrow to attend global cancer and mental health meetings and building research, science and innovation connections with the European Union.

Minister Verrall will deliver the keynote speech at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva on 20 October, highlighting our work implementing our Smokefree 2025 Action Plan and the world leading legislation currently progressing through the House which will help us achieve our goal of a smokefree future.

Further meetings will take place in Geneva with WHO officials on tobacco control, COVID-19 and the global pandemic treaty.

She will also represent New Zealand at the Global Mental Health Summit in Rome as well as acknowledging our scientific collaboration with Italy in Antarctica.

Talks with the European Commission will take place in Strasbourg as New Zealand progresses to become an associate member of Horizon Europe.

Meetings will take place in France to continue advancing our research and science relationship with the EU.

The Minister will also visit Callaghan Innovation at the Cleantech forum in Singapore and deliver a keynote address highlighting New Zealand's successful work in tobacco control.

The Singapore leg of the trip will include meetings with health officials and experts to share ideas and tactics for pandemic preparedness planning and other health issues.

“Our world leading response to COVID-19 has been commended by many other nations who maintain a keen interested in our successful strategy for managing a challenging COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr Ayesha Verrall.