TN/AG/SCC/W/41  
WT/CFMC/67  
 
26 January  2022 
(22-0640) Page: 1/11 
Sub-Committee on Cotton    
 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF THE  
COTTON -RELATED DECISIONS IN THE 2004 JULY PACKAGE AND  
PARAGRAPH 12 OF THE HONG KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  
REPORT OF THE 3 6TH ROUND OF THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S  
CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK MECHANISM ON COTTON1 
HELD ON 3 NOVEMBER  2021 
1  INTRODUCTION  
The 3 6th Round of the Director -General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on 
Cotton  (DGCFMC) took place on 3 November 2021 under the chairper sonship of Deputy 
Director -General M. Jean-Marie Paugam  on behalf of Director -General Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala.  
The meeting was held in  a hybrid  format and was attended by the Cotton -4 (C-4)2, other 
WTO Members, relevant partner organizations, and key expe rts from the global cotton community.  
The Chair noted that the DGCFMC meeting would be followed by the 1 6th Dedicated Discussion 
on Relevant Trade -Related Development Aspects on Cotton , chaired by Ambassador Gloria Abraham 
Peralta  (Costa Rica).  
1.1  World Cot ton Day (WCD)  
M. Robson Fernandes  of the Agriculture and Commodities Division (AGCD)  recalled  that, 
following the July 2021  "Call for Participation " from the Secretariat  to Members , observers,  and 
partner organizations , all the planned activities and events had been successfully undertaken, 
including : (i) news items and a dedicated  WCD 2021  webpage  on the WTO website , with statements 
from Dr Ngozi  Okonjo -Iweala; (ii) a social media campaign using  the hashtag  #WorldCottonDay ; 
(iii) a  joint WTO and the International Trade Centre ( ITC) webinar  on 6 October entitled "How to 
develop a sustainable cotton to clothing value chain in Africa" . The webinar was opened by Deputy 
Director -General Mr Jean -Marie Paugam, the Minister of Trade of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mr Harouna 
Kaboré, and ITC's Deputy Executi ve Director, Mrs Dorothy Ng'ambi Tembo . The webinar was 
attended by approximately one hundred participants ; (iv) a  photo exhibition and stands  in the 
WTO atrium  from 6 to 8 October  by the C -4, Brazil, China, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) , and 
ITC and its sustainable ethical fashion  initiative  and Atelier Autodidacts Anti -Algorithms (AAAA)  – 
a cooperation of Artisans from Mali .  
Mr Fernandes  stated that those  activities had aimed to celebrate the adoption of the 
UN Resolution proclaiming 7 October as World Cotton Day  and were  honoured with the presence of 
the Prime Minister of Mali, H.E. Mr Choguel Kokalla M aïga, who addressed the General Council 
meeting on 8 October , accompanied by  H.E. Mr Modibo K eïta, Minist er of Rural Development, and 
H.E. Mr Mohamed Ould Mahmoud , Minist er of Industry and Commerce . The Trade Minister of Burkina 
Faso, H.E. Mr Harouna K aboré , also addressed the General Council meeting and attended WCD  2021 
events at the WTO.  Finally, h e played  a video  showcas ing the main highlights of WCD 2021  event s.  
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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The Chair thanked the Secretariat for the report and invited the C -4 to report on the adoption 
of the UN resolution for an international day for cotton and their participation in the activities 
celebrating  WCD 2021.  
Ambassador Sougouri of Burkina Faso , speaking on behalf of the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire , and the 
36 African co tton producing countries, reported  that, on 30 August 2021, at the 75th Session of the 
United Nations General Assembly , UN Members  adopted , by consensus , resolution A/RES/75/318 
which officially proclaims 7  October  as World Cotton Day. He recalled that t he adoption marked the 
end of a process that began in 2019 under the C -4 initiative, with the support of all WTO Members 
and partners  organizations .  
He further stressed t hat the highest authorities of the C -4 had attend ed WTO activities for 
WCD 2021 and  express ed the group's appreciation  for the invaluable support  in obtaining  the UN 
resolution . He noted  that the Resolution underscored the economic, social , and cultural role of cotton 
for several  UN Member countries , particularly for LDCs, and drew the attention of the international 
community to the multiple challenges facing the cotton sector  in LDCs,  calling for  solidarity to 
overcome those hurdles . 
He concluded  by thank ing WTO Director -General Jean-Marie  Paugam , and the Agriculture and 
Commodities Division for their  involvement in the success o f WCD 2021 , as well as  to all 
WTO Members and partners for their support.  
The Chair thanked the C -4 for the update  and gave the floor to the Executive Director of the  
International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to report on activities undert aken for WCD 2021.  
The Executive Director of ICAC, Mr Kai Hughes , recalled that it  had been more than two years 
since the launch of  World Cotton Day at WTO headquarters in Geneva.  He noted that the event had 
been an enormous success and hoped that another such gathering w ould be possible in Geneva 
in 2023 to mark  get together event s every four years, a s the city would be the perfect location for 
that.  
He noted that  WCD had come a long way in just two years.  He mentioned that  events held 
in 2021, like as in 2020, faced a two -headed challenge: first ly, by getting people to participate and 
arranging their own activities in their communities ; and, second ly, the pandemic.  He stressed, 
however, th at tho se challenges had not derail ed the momentum of W CD 2021, which exceeded 
expectations.  
He noted that W CD 2021 had been  celebrated by more than 60 countries, by governments, 
private companies,  and organizations.  
He emphasized tha t the United Nations resolution  to reserve 7 October as "World Cotton Day " 
in perpetuity on its permanent calendar  would boost and  help raise the visibility of the world's  
preferred natural fiber .  
He reported  that the two hashtags used  for WCD  2021, #worldcottonday as well as the theme, 
#cottonforgood, were used more than 540 times and reached more than 3.7 million people , He 
stressed that, in view of the event's visibility, WCD 2021 had been a success and tha t efforts had to 
be made to keep the momentum high at the produc tion level and through out the whole value chain.  
He stated that having WCD on the UN calendar would allow to showcase  more retailers and 
brands which was the objective for next year's WCD. He  concluded by  reporting that  ICAC's W orld 
Cotton Day Promotion Committee  would soon meet to  discuss the strategy  for next year 's WCD and 
invited those interested  in participating in that meeting to contact ICAC. 
The Chair thank ed the representative of ICAC for the detailed report on their WCD 2021 
activities  and invited ITC to take the floor.  
Mr Matthi as Knappe  (ITC) noted that  their organization had celebra ted WCD since 2019, 
together with the WTO , and ha d always focus ed on Afri ca. In 2021,  ITC looked at fibre value addition 
and opportunities  on the continent. He recalled that, ITC  had been  involved in two events 
during  WCD 2021.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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First, the joint webinar organised with the WTO on the theme  "Investing in African cotton 
means investing in sustainability ". The webinar, which had high level speakers, looked into 
production, as well as the industrial and artisanal value addition of the fibre,  and the market aspects 
within and beyond Africa n markets . 
On the production side , it was  discussed that within cotton systems, water, pesticides , and 
nitrogenous fertilizers were causing significant environmental damages . However, those  were low er 
for cotton grown in Africa  making it  more sustainable than  in other region s. 
At the fibre's transformation stage, the webinar examined the existing vertical integration 
from farm to the final market s in the U nited States and the European Union, highlight ing what could 
be scaled up and the challenges  at the artisanal level . 
Mr Knappe reported the case of a  South African retail g roup for which  demand and orders for 
cotton -based  textiles could keep a standard -sized cotton mill busy  an entire  year, but regrettably 
the investment needed wa s not forthcoming.  
He added that one participant had stressed the importance of AGOA for United States brands 
and retailers and , the fact that consumers were more inclined  to purchase sustainable end products 
from Africa . 
Finally, h e reported  that ITC together with the Permanent Mission of Mali and Compagnie 
Malienne pour le Développment des Textiles (CMDT) had a stand at the WTO showcasing the work 
of Malian artisans who used one hundred percent bio line cotton  including  Atelier Autodidacts 
Anti-Algorithms (AAAA) , a Malian artisan brand and their  interior design products made out of 
bogolan cotton.  
The representative of Brazil  noted that,  since 2019, Brazil had been committed to using  World 
Cotton Day as an opportunity to display the importance of the sector.  
He reported that, i n 2021, a set of six virtual events covering Latin America , the Caribbean , 
and Africa  were held throughout the month of October .  
He also reported on the effort s to promot e decent work conditions in the cotton value -chain  
in Mozambique, Paraguay, Peru and Tanzania , and on the outflow of cotton by -products by 
Mozambique and Tanzania.  
He added that i n addition to the Brazilian Cooperation Agency  (ABC) , the events were 
attended by  partners of trilateral South -South cooperation initiatives in the cotton sector ( the Food 
and Agriculture Organization  of the United Nations - FAO, the International Labour Organization  – 
ILO, and the World Food Programme - WFP);  the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers 
(ABRAPA);  the Brazilian Cotton Institute (IBA);  the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC); 
and representatives of associations and cooperatives from the partner countries.  
He concluded by noting that all the events organized by Brazil for WCD 2021 were circulated 
in document WT/CFMC/W/93 . 
The representative  of China  congratulated the C -4, Members , and the WTO Secretariat , for 
the successful celebration of WCD 2021 . He recalled that China ha d been involved in WCD activities 
since 2019 through participation to exhibition s at the WTO  to showcase China's production and 
through collaboration with African countries , particularly with the C -4.  
He added that the UN declaration o n World Cotton Day was extremely important and would 
give a strong push to cotton  and to  future  collaborations . 
The representative of the U nited States commended the success of WCD 2021 and noted  that 
many Members had highlighted the importance of cotton for their economies. H e stated that the  
United States  had celebrated W CD 2021 and informed on  an initiative in  Pakistan under the Cotton 
Productivity Enhancement Program (CPEP) to combat cotton leaf curl disease.   TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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He noted the connection between  the cotton industries of the Uni ted States and Pakistan, and 
likewise  with much of the global cotton industry, thus the importance of partnerships to tackl e issues 
facing cotton -producing countries.  
The Chair thanked  the United States and  all who presented their reports and welcomed the 
fact that WCD 2021 was duly celebrated by partner organizations, Members, observers, civil society 
and the private sector in various parts of the globe through meaningful and varied events  despite 
the pande mic's restrictions . 
He noted  that the Consultative Mechanism could  be proud of the success of WCD 2021 . The 
event as well as the UN resolution established that  cotton was not only a  tradeable commodity, but 
also a means of subsistence for millions of peopl e who work in the cotton value chain . Cotton  could 
improv e the well -being of populations by ensuring them a sustainable future  through concrete 
results . He congratulate d the C-4 for their initiative, coordination , and persistence  on the recognition 
of WCD by the UNGA, which was an important  milestone.  
Lastly, the Chair recall ed that the resolution text highlight ed cotton  development activities 
and reform of trade polices to improve the functioning of  cotton markets, and that developing 
countries c ould gain from tailor ed research, training, technology transfer, and much -needed 
investment which was exactly what th e DGCFMC stood for. 
2  STATEMENT BY THE C -4 COORDINATOR  
Ambassador Sougouri of Burkina Faso , speaking on behalf of the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire and the 
36 African cotton -producing countries, noted  that since DDG Jean-Marie Paugam  took office, he ha d 
multipl ied initiatives to advance negotiations on the development component of cotton.  
He also expressed appreciation for the constan t support of bilateral, regional , and multilateral 
partners and recalled the various initiatives that had been undertaken to achiev e tangible results on 
the cotton development component at  the 12th Ministerial Conference  (MC12 ), as contained in the 
C-4 latest proposal ( TN/AG/GEN/51 , TN/AG /SCC/GEN/23 ), the draft declaration "Plan of Action for 
Strengthening Support for the Development of Cotton Co -products in LDCs" (WT/GC/W/808 ), and 
the organization of the 2nd edition of the Partners' Conference.  He reca lled that the draft declaration  
was aligned with the effective implementation of the Hong Kong and Nairobi Ministerial decisions 
which invite d Members to pay particular attention to cotton development  aspects .  
He noted that the draft declaration was an ac tion plan that call ed on partners to support the 
implementation of activities on cotton by-products. He re called  the conclusion of various feasibility 
studies and thank ed the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF)  for its financial support , which w as 
crucial for the development of local value -added industries and transfer of technology . He express ed 
the C -4 appreciation for Members support  and re called their  availability to exchange  with Members 
who wished to make constructive amendments to the document for adoption at MC12. 
He emphasized  the importance of organizing a 2nd edition of the Partners' Conference to 
encourage new partnerships and mobilize resources and technical expertise to sup port the 
implementation of projects in cotton  producing LDCs and thanked the WTO Secretariat for its 
favourable response to its request  in organizing the Conference . He invited  Members and partner  
organization s to participate  active ly in the Conference  to achiev e the targeted objectives.  
He stressed that LDCs cotton sector s needed the support of development partners to find a 
lasting solution to the concerns of cotton growers and help build strong and resilient economies in 
the face of the devastating consequences of the C OVID -19 pandemic . For these reasons,  the C-4 
urged technical and financial partners to support init iatives for production, processing and 
transformation at the national level and the development of infrastructure in the cotton sector .  
The Chair thanked Ambassador Sougouri for his statement  and called on Members and Partner 
organizations to respond  to the C-4 and other African cotton producers' needs on cotton.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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  3  RECENT DEVELOPMENT S IN THE GLOBAL COTTON MARKET AND THE AFRICAN COTTON 
SUSTAINABILITY  PROGRAM 2030  
Mr Kai Hughes  presented the African Cotton Sustainability Program 2030 (ACSP)  which aimed 
to provide better livelihoods for farmers, build resilience against climate change , and develop  value 
addition for national economies resulting in employment and increased GDP.  
He stressed that Africa suffer ed from some of the lowest yields in the world , averaging around 
400 kg of cotton lint per hectare in West Africa and  300 kg in East Africa , compared to a global 
average of around 780 kg of cotton lint per hectare in other rainfed areas and reaching as much as 
1,800 kg per hectare  in some countries . In addition to those  low yields and complicated access to 
infrastructure and markets, African smallholder farmers face d unprecedented challenges from the 
impacts of climate change , as well as the increasing demand  for more transparent and sustainable 
value chains.   
He noted that the low yields and lack of infrastructure  paradoxically  create d the greatest 
potential for Africa , as the continent was at the beginning of a journey to industrializ e and the 
potential benefits in developing the cotton sector were far greater than in any other crop.  
He reported that several  factors could  explain Africa 's low yields, such as  obsolete varieties , 
poor-quality seed , and inadequate cropping systems. He suggeste d that new cottonseed s must be 
designed following  Best Crop Management Systems (BCMS). Th at would benefit the whole sector by 
ensuring farmers had good and climate resilient seed s with high genetic potential and germination 
quality for cotton tailored to the market.  
Outlining the ACSP , he stated that it consist ed of four distinct areas: (i) building robust 
partnerships ; (ii) seed as a key asset ; (iii) climate change adaptation and mitigation ; and 
(iv) empowerment and resilience.  
The programme brings together three major organi zations – the ICAC, the Centre de 
coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD ), and the 
African Cotton Foundation ( ACF), together with key partners such as ITC , Organic Cotton 
Accelerator  (OCA), the African Cotton Association ( ACA), and the Association of African Cotton 
Producers ( Aproca) . He reported that ACSP was encourag ing the private sector to invest in the value 
chain  and was attracting support from governments thanks to its goal of  increased profitability, job 
creation , and industrial growth.  
He stressed that increasing  cotton yields in Africa to the current global average of 780  Kg/Ha, 
with current cotton international prices at USD 84.96 cents per pound could result in  over 
USD 3.8 billion of extra revenue, create an additional 6 million jobs in West Africa, and just over 1 
million additional jobs in South and East Africa.  Additionally, d eveloping a textile value chain could  
create value addition worth billions of dollars  with estima ted additional USD  63 billion in west Africa.  
He noted that  over the past 40 years , textiles from Africa had increased from USD 1.2 billion 
to USD 14 billion, mainly due to exports from North Africa and South Africa.  Exports  from East Africa 
had remained s tagnant for the last 20 years and West African textile exports ha d decreased by 
30%despites availability of  home -grown  cotton , abundant labor, lan d, and water  resources . 
He stressed that textiles play ed an important role in countries  development and noted that 
Bangladesh 's GDP per capita was l ower than Burkina Faso 's GDP per capita  in 1980 but was 250% 
higher  today .  
He noted that many developed countries had started by developing the t extile  industry  and 
then graduate d into more soph isticated and hi -tech products  due to high wages . With wages 
increasing in many textile producing countries, the value -added segment would  no longer be cost 
effective.   
He reported that  WTO data estimated  world textile imports in 2019 at over  USD 871 billion 
which would equate retail values of between USD 2 to 2.5 trillion.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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He recalled that Africa ha d a big advantage over potential competitor s with preferential  
market access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act ( AGOA ) and the Generalized Syste m 
of Preferences ( GSP). However, Africa continued to be a net importer of textiles, with imports  
amounting to USD 25 billion.   
He concluded by stressing the  benefits of getting the right seeds, which should be combined 
with the benefits derived from  cotton  by-products.  
The representative of Burkina Faso  thanked ICAC for its insightful presentation which provided 
concrete information to the C-4 and would  help farmers obtain higher cotton yields  and revenue . He 
also expressed the C -4's readiness to cooperate with ICAC for the development of cotton.  
The representative of China  thanked ICAC for the presentation and asked  how cotton lint 
quality could be improved.  Specifically, he  inquired on  whether transgenic or local seeds could be  
used. 
The representative of ICAC  responded that ICAC had been  looking at improving local cotton 
seeds  varieties as a short-term solution, and at developing  more resilient and climate adaptive s eeds 
in the long run . 
The Chair thanked Mr Hughes for his presentation  and for ICAC's efforts to support the 
development of the cotton sector . He also thanked Members who took the floor for their comments 
and questions.  He added that ICAC's presentation would be published on the WTO website, together 
with all the other presentations of the day.   
4  DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S EVOLVING TABLE ON COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE   
The Chair introduced item 4 of the agenda by recalling that the latest version of the Evolving 
Table  on Cotton Development Assistance ("ET") had been c irculated in 
document  WT/CFMC/6/Rev.31.  
Mr Robson Fernandes of the WTO Agriculture and Commodities Division  first explained the 
structure of the ET, which was divided into four main parts: (i)  notified cotton -specific projects; 
(ii) notified active project s on agriculture and infrastructure -related activities benefitting the cotton 
sector directly or indirectly; (iii) contact details of national cotton focal points in beneficiary 
countries; and (iv) project demands for cotton -related development assistance submitted by 
beneficiary developing Members. He noted that the ET also included two annexes listing all 
completed projects previously notified to the WTO  for statistical and analytical monitoring purposes. 
He also informed Members that the updated informat ion was also available on the Cotton Portal 
(https://www.cottonportal.org/cotton ).  
He noted that the Secretariat had circulated on 27 October  2021 the latest revision of the ET 
including updates submitted by Brazil, Switzerland, the United Nations Industrial Development 
Organization (UNIDO), and the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States ( OACPS ). A 
new active cotton -specific project was added to the ET by OACPS and  UNIDO reported on the 
conclusion of phase 1 of its project in Egypt. Those  led the  number of active cotton -specific projects 
to remain the same at 27 ongoing projects.  
The representative of Benin  speaking  on behalf of the C -4 called  upon DGCFMC participan ts to 
engage at the 2nd edition of the  Partners' Conference  in the margins of MC12.  He further noted the 
improvement in the ratio of total disbursements versus total commitments for cotton -specific 
programme  from 32% to 33% in the most recent  edition of th e ET. 
In view of the above, he encouraged all development partners to contribute to the 
implementation of the regional initiative "The C otton Road Map  Project" , aimed at ensuring the 
development of value chains in the cotton sector of the beneficiar y countr ies and serve as  an 
instrument for job creation, poverty reduction, improvement of food security , sustaina bility, and 
inclusive economic and social development  in the region . 
The representative of Brazil  stressed their commitment to cotton developmen t assistance  as 
shown in the latest version of the ET. Since May 2021,  Brazil had contributed more TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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  than USD 2.1 million to the five projects still in progress.  In total, the six projects to which Brazil 
was a bilateral donor had received over USD 47 millio n. 
The Chair thanked all those who had contributed to updating the E T. He noted that despite the 
decrease in the committed amounts for cotton -specific programmes, the number of active cotton 
projects recorded in th e latest version of the E T had remained at 27. He stressed that those projects  
ultimately help ed empower local cotton producers and enable d various actors to develop their cotton 
value chains in some of the poorest regions of the world. It was important to continue focussing on 
the needs of developing country cotton producers including technical assistance , production, 
transformation and trade  needs . 
5  SOUTH -SOUTH COTTON COOPERATION  
The Chair introduced item 5 of the agenda by acknowledging the regular contrib utions of Brazil, 
China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey on the platform of South -South cooperation.  
The representative of Brazil  mentioned that  they had followed  the pre parations of the feasibility 
studies carried out in ten LDCs under the  Joint Initiative fo r the development of cotton by -products.  
He reported that the Brazilian Cooperation Agency  (ABC) intended to  receive groups of experts 
from African countries for short - and medium -term trainings under capacity building  programmes  at 
the Cotton Technology Transfer Center for Family Farming, located in the northern part of Minas 
Gerais state. The trainings w ould focus on  cotton processing (ginning and crushing for oil, production 
of cotton meal cakes and other by -products), as well as modern and small -scale cottonseed 
processing technologies.  A detailed project proposal  would be submitted to the WTO . 
He also report ed Brazil would  organize a seminar , in the margins of the next DGCFMC,  to 
present the project entitled  Minas Gerais Cotton Crop Incentive Program  (PROALMINAS)  - created 
in 2003 by the Cotton Producers Association (AMIPA)  of the  Minas Gerais s tate, the Text ile Industry 
Labor Union  and the State g overnment . The idea would be to showcase the ginning, spinning and 
weaving industry, with a view to identify ways in which the Brazilian experience could be adapted to 
other developing countries.  
The representative o f China  reported about three ongoing South -South cooperation projects in 
Africa that started in  2019, including knowledge transfer on cotton by -products  and capacity 
building. Eight onsite and video training program mes on cotton  had been conducted in the C-4 and 
other Africa n countries with more than 200 participants.  
He also reported on the establishment of cotton technology projects in Benin and Chad to 
benefit farmers , in addition to increased  investment s of up to USD  400 million in Mal i, Benin, 
Mozambique, Zambia, and Sudan to foster job creation  and income of.  
He mentioned that China w ould continue to support African countries , to participate in major 
cotton events and would  notify the WTO of its activities . 
The representative of Mali  spoke on behalf of the C -4 and mentioned that the group followed 
with great interest the interventions of the various partners of South -South cooperation  and the 
actions carried out . He thanked partners for  their commitment to the development of the cotton 
sector in the C -4, and other developing countries, in particular the LDCs, despite the difficult ies 
posed by  the C OVID -19 pandemic.  
He invite d partners from the South -South and North -South cooperation to engage  in the 
financing of projects such as "The C otton Road Map  Project" . 
The Chair thanked all the delegations who took the floor to share details on their South -South 
cooperation programmes. He also encouraged developing countries to continue strengtheni ng 
South -South cooperation on cotton and recalled that the contributions made by participants were 
recorded and given official recognition, particularly through the Evolving Table.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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  6  COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROJECTS  
The Chair introduced agenda item 6 which  had been requested by the C -4 and  constituted a n 
improvement to the practical work of the Consultative Mechanism. He added that discussions under 
the agenda item also responded to the Ministerial Mandates on cotton formulate d in paragraph  11 
of the 2015 Nairobi decision and paragraph  10 of the 2013 Bali decision.  
The representative of Chad, speaking on behalf of the C-4, thanked  development partners for 
their contribution s to implement cotton development assistance projects . Those projects ultimately 
aimed to encourage productivity, competitivity, processing  and local upgrading of cotton with a view 
to diversifying both the sub -regional and international markets. He noted  that the C -4 were faced 
with enormous challenges in implementing "The C otton Road Map Project ". The project cover ed a 
seven -year period, composed of  a pilot phase of four years followed by a three -year acceleration 
phase. Two years after its launch , only two components of the programme had been initiated, 
namely the valorisation of seeds and the promotion of investment s, transfer of technology and 
know -how. The value add ition components were still awaiting implementation.  
He reaffirm ed the C -4 call for a  2nd edition of the  Partners' Conference which w ould take place 
on the sidelines of MC12,  and which could offer a n opportunity for the mobilization of needed 
resources.  
He reiterated  the C-4 willingness to enhanc e the effectiveness of the DGCFMC  in accordance 
with the Ministerial decisions of Bali 2013 and Nairobi 2015.  
Finally, he noted the importance of creating a "management committee" in charge of 
coordinat ing the transfer of technologies and know -how for the development of cotton in LDCs.  
Mrs Gina Burgard , Project M anager of GIZ , present ed the programme "Sustainability and Value 
Added in Agricultural Supply Chains " in Uzbekistan.  
She explained that the project's objective  was to increase sustainability in the cotton supply 
chain by : promoting sustainable cotton farming methods; strengthening sustainable capacities for 
local value addition ; and fostering global knowledge exchange between Uzbekistan and Germany.  
The programme had been  commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and carried out together with the Ministry of Agriculture of the 
Republic of Uzbekistan and the textile association UzTextileprom.  
She noted that the challenge s in the cotton sector in Uzbekistan  include d years of child and 
forced labour which ha d led many countries to stop sourcing cotton from Uzbekistan. 
Notwithstanding , since the takeover of the new government, there ha d been improvement s in human 
rights conditions  in cotton production, leading to ILO reports declar ing that systematic child labo ur 
was no longer a practice in Uzbekistan . Systematic forced labour had not occurred during the 2020 
cotton harvest and it had been criminali zed by law. She also noted that 60% of cotton pickers 
in 2020 had reported that cotton harvest was their only sourc e of income.  
Regarding water scarcity , work was conducted with the support of GIZ on defining  sustainable 
irrigation methods. Policy advice and technical assistance on sustainable  standards  were also 
provided  to farmers,  following the  principles of the Better Cotton Standard System and in close 
cooperation with the Better Cotton Initiative  (BCI) . Finally, she  mentioned that GIZ was promoting 
decent work conditions in textile factories by providing training s. 
The representative of Uzbekistan  noted that cotton had always been considered a strategic 
sector in the country and generate d significant revenues for the State. He mentioned that cotton 
was a national symbol of pride and wealth to the Uzbek people.  
He further stated that t he privatizat ion of Uzbekistan 's cotton sector began in 2017 and 
currently most of the industry was privately owned and  operat ed in  "clusters " that combine d 
production, processing, and manufacturing of cotton products.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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He reported that i n March 2020 the government had announced the abolition of state -set 
quotas as well as pricing, sales, and inputs for the 2020 harvest. Th at had a major significance for 
private operators having to comply with international labo ur standards.  
He expressed  Uzbekistan appreciation for  GIZ's project on "Sustainability and Value Added in 
the Uzbek cotton economy " as its implementation would increas e sustainable cotton cultivation , 
improve working conditions throughout the entire value chain , and integrat e the Uzbek cotton and 
textile sector s to international trade.  
Mr Janvier D. Nkurunziza, Officer -in-charge  of the Commodities Branch  at UNCTAD  reported 
on the progress of the feasibility studies on cotton by -products development  in Malawi and Togo  
funded by the Enhanced Integrated Frame work (EIF) . 
Mr Nkurunziza  noted that stakeholders in both beneficiary countries ha d been very 
participative and contributed to enrich the  draft reports . He reported that t he cotton sector had been  
undergoing reforms in both Malawi and Togo. Nevertheless, h uge challenges remain ed, especially in 
terms of competitivity and access to inputs.  
He reported that i n Malawi , ginners were allocated zones where they ha d exclusive rights to 
buy cotton from farmers. Th at wa s known as the "zone system " which create d local monopolies for 
cotton purchases. However, in August 2021, the Cotton Farmers Association of Malawi (COFA) and 
cotton ginners agreed to abolish the zone system for the next season, thereby opening the cotton 
market for competition . 
Regarding Togo, h e noted that t he cotton sector ha d entered a new phase since the purchase 
of a majority stake (51%) of Nouvelle Société Cotonnière du Togo  (NSCT) by Olam, a 
Singapore -based multinational company operating in the food and agri -business sector.  
He reported t hat if the cotton market were to become competitive, farmers or farmer 
organizations could i nvest in their own ginning facilities  and profit from the seeds , for example with 
the production of nation al cotton seed oil. Consequently, he suggested that it wou ld be beneficial for 
Togo to ensure that the partnership with Olam provide d benefits for the development of the national 
cotton sector, as well as new by -product processing industries.  
The newly created Plateforme Industrielle d'Adetikopé  (PIA), an industr ial park that would 
include a  a cotton storage facility , could  represent new partnership opportunities with Olam on cotton 
production and processing  (i.e., into by-products or textiles ). 
He mentioned that t he low volumes  of cotton production in Malawi and Togo  limited the 
potential of invest ment in cotton by -products  and that the  in-season inflation  affecting i nput costs 
ended up reducing the profits of smallholder farmers . He further add ed that the taxation of 
domestically produced oil favour ed imports and smuggling, making it harder for local companies to 
compete.  
In terms of policy recommendations,  he reported that the  feasibility studies included  proposals 
on legislation, government support for cotton production, organiz ation of f armers, and develop ment 
of cotton by-product value chains. Those  proposals would be presented for  national validation and 
would integrate feedback s from stakeholders to finalize the reports. Those  priorities , for example on 
investment and financing of processing techn ologies , and policy recommendations  would be reflected 
in national action plans.  
The representative of Togo  welcomed the presentation  on the feasibility  study on cotton 
by-products and expressed his gratitude to UNCTAD,  EIF, ITC , and the WTO.  
He stated that  the implementation of the project on cotton by -products in Togo would help to 
strengthen  the local industr y by adding value to products which were previously neglected or lost 
entirely.  
He then pleaded with the international donor community to  finance the second phase of the 
project for the successful development of  cotton by -products in Togo.  TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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  6.1  Presentation o f Cotton -related Development Assistance Requests submitted by 
Beneficiary Members to the Evolving Table  
Mr Robson Fernandes  reported that Part IV of the latest revision of the Evolving Table (ET) , 
in document WT/CFMC/6/Rev.3 1, listed the  cotton -related development assistance requests 
submitted by developing country Members. Th e inclusion of Part IV to the ET had been decided at 
the 34th Round of the DGCFMC in November 2020 , in line with paragraph 10 of the Bali Ministerial 
Decision (WT/MI N(13)/41) and paragraph 11 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision (WT/MIN(15)/46).  
He reported that nine projects had been submitted  by individual Members, as well as one 
regional project from the C -4, i.e., the "Cotton Road Map Project".  
He explained that the table contained h yperlinks to the project requests presenting a full 
description of the needs as submitted by b eneficiary Members. Th e compilation w ould serve to track 
demands submitted by beneficiary Members to th e DGCFMC  and give visibility to their ne eds on 
cotton -related projects  to the international development community . 
Mr Fabrizio Meliado  of the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO  reported on  the 
preparations for the  2nd edition of the Partners' Conference and  explained  that the Partners 
Conference would be organized on the margin s of MC12 to mobilize technical and financial resources 
for the implementation of development assistance projects in favo ur of cotton in LDCs . These 
projects would help establish a more resilient and sustainable cotton sector in a post-COVID -19 era. 
He noted that the final agenda would shortly be issued to all Members, observers,  and partner 
organizations . 
He mentioned that the aim was to have a high -level of representation  by Ministers of Finance 
and Economy of LDCs, responsible for aligning the development priorities of countries, as well as 
heads of development agencies, private sector companies, heads of intergovernmental 
organizations, and national cotton sector associations.  
He highlighted that a recent study by  the WTO Secretariat  on the impact of COVID -19 
pandemic on the cotton sector of ten African LDCs, estimated that the losses in value of cotton 
exports during 2020 were above USD 500 million in the C -4 and other African LDCs. The study also  
revea led a great heterogeneity of the consequences of the pandemic on the cotton sector  in the 
countries analysed .  
The Conference w ould therefore focus on recovery and resilience on a threefold angle : 
(i) cotton production (including seeds, good agricult ural practices (GAP), quality, technologies, 
research and development (R&D), infrastructure, training, etc.); (ii) the cotton to textile value chain; 
and (iii) t he valuation and trade of cotton co -products in LDCs.  
The representative of the U nited States  thanked the WTO Secretariat for the report  on the 
upcoming Partners Conference and looked forward to receiving additional details provided .  
He noted potential conflicting circumstances between, attendance to the Conference  
preparations for MC -12, and the logistical challenges  imposed by the  COVID -19 pandemic . 
Nonetheless, he highlighted that the U nited States remain ed interested in the topic and that any 
limited participation would be due to the above -mentioned  challenges , not lack of interest . 
The representative of Burundi  reported on the importance of the c otton sector to the country's 
economy, both in terms of export revenue and number of farmers. He highlighted that th e sector 
had been impact ed by climate change and high cost of inputs  with direct effects on  cotton farmers . 
He noted that the g overnment was implementing policies to boost the sector  through the production 
of local seeds and by training farmers. The final step was to develop  the local transformation of 
cotton lint to textiles  with enough p roduction to meet the local needs . Those  actions would be added 
to the na tional strategy. The g overnment had empowered the Compagnie de Gérance du 
Coton  (COGERCO)  to revitalize the cotton sector  and as a result improve  farmers  livelihood s and 
provide food security  and employment fo r women and youth. He concluded by noting that a project 
request had been c irculate d in document W T/CFMC/W/ 94 and  would welcome assistance by the 
international donor community for its implementation . TN/AG/SCC/W/41 • WT/CFMC/67  
 
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The representative of Benin  introduced a project request  submitted to Part IV of the ET  and 
delivered a presentation available on the website . A concept ual note was also submitted for the 
attention of DGCF MC participants . 
7  DOMESTIC COTTON SECTOR AND OTHER REFORMS/NATIONAL COTTON FOCAL POINTS  
The Chair introduced agenda item 7 and highlighted the latest revision of the Table on Domestic 
Cotton Sector Reforms including updates submitted by Burkina Faso as refl ected in 
document  WT/CFMC/21/Rev.18.  
The Chair as ked that any other  update s be submitted  in writing.  
8  CONCLUSION  
The Chair concluded by thanking all participants and Members for the useful discussions held 
during the meeting.   
He noted that good progress ha d been consolidated through the DGCFMC work. A clear example 
had been the  discussions on cotton projects and the update of Item  6 of the agenda of the 
Consultative Mechanism.  
He commended the donor community as well as the beneficiaries of cotton developme nt 
assistance for their usual active engagement and constructive role in taking  discussions  forward,  as 
reflected in the Evolving Table.  He encouraged Members to continue using the DGCFMC as an open 
forum for project -focused discussions.  
The Chair also th anked the interpreters, Conference Office services and IT for their excellent 
work.  
The meeting was adjourned.  
 
 
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