TN/AG/SCC/W/36  
WT/CFMC/63  
 
9 February 2021  
(21-1068) Page: 1/14 
Sub-Committee on Cotton    
 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT  ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF THE  
COTTON -RELATED DI SCUSSIONS IN THE 2004 JULY PACKAGE AND  
PARAGRAPH 12 OF THE HONG KONG MINISTERIAL DECLARATION  
ITEM 2C – COHERENCE BETWEEN TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS:  
UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS OF COTTON  
Report of the 3 4th Round of the Director -General  
Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton1 
held on 12 November 2020 
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  The 3 4th Round of the Director -General Consultative Framework Mechanism 
on Cotton (DGCFMC) took place on 12 November 20 20 under the chairmanship of 
Deputy  Director -General  Alan Wm.  Wolff. 
1.2.  The meeting was  held in virtual  format and was attended by  the Cotton -4 (C-4)2, other 
WTO Members  as well as  by relevant partner organizations and key experts from the global cotton 
community .  
1.3.  The Chair noted  that the DGCFMC meeting  would be followed by a Thematic Session on Cotton 
by-products Developments in LDCs and by the 14th Dedicated Discussion on the Relevant Trade 
Development on Cotton , chaired by Ambassador Gloria  Abraham  Peralta (Costa Rica )3.  
1.1  WORLD COTTON DAY  (WCD)  
1.4.  Ms. Marième Fall of the Agriculture and Commodities  Division  reported on the activities 
organized by the WTO Secretariat to celebrat e WCD 2020. She recalled the C -4 request  that the 
WTO carr y out activities to mark the date and to help celebrate it globally.  
1.5.  Ms. Fall highlighted that the activities which had been u ndertaken by the WTO on and around 
7 October 2020 aimed at: (i) giv ing exposure to  worldwide cotton stakeholders , including farmers , 
businesses and governments ; (ii) raising  support for the establishment  of a United Nations World 
Cotton Day;  (iii) remind ing the international community about the development aspects related to 
cotton  production and trade ; and (iv) foster ing synergies , exchange of information  and new 
collaborations  throughout the cotton value chains . A call for participation to WCD 2020 activities had 
been sent to over six thousand  global cotton community  recipients  encouraging:  the organization of 
lectures, panels and roundtables  on the co tton and its social and economic importance ; the 
organization of photo contests; to showcase  cotton products  through  social and sustainable 
responsibility activities and innovation s including in  downstream value chain; the organization of 
field visits; recognition, prizes and award ceremonies for different  cotton stakeh olders; 
dissemination of information and knowledge on cotton by engaging the public through social media 
 
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 . 
3 The Chair report on the Dedicated Discussion and the Secretariat  report on the Thematic Session are 
respectively available in documents TN/AG/SCC/16 and WT/CFMC/64.  TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  campaigns  using the hashtag #WorldCottonDay; and  media attention by participating in talk shows, 
panel discussions, media briefings and radio/ TV call -in shows.  
1.6.  As a result, thousands of posts had been published on 7 October 2020 on social media platforms 
and on -line channels, registering activities and events from governmental agencies, international 
organizations, private companies, universities, student  groups and non -governmental organizations.  
1.7.  Further more, several  global activities had been reported, including conferences , briefings on 
Good Agricultural Pr actices and w ebinars . New videos on the importance of cotton had been 
produced  by China, Pakistan, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development  (UNCTAD) 
and Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).  
1.8.  Ms. Fall also reported  that an exhibition had been organi zed at the WTO displaying  artefacts 
and cotton photos from various parts of the globe, many  of which were  courtesy of the International 
Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) , with the objective of showing the different facets of cotton from 
the field to the fabric and beyond. Moreover, a WTO stand had been set up with documents and 
information on trade and cotton development assistance programmes.  
1.9.  The International Trade Centre  (ITC) had organized an exhibition in the WTO atrium with cotton 
fabric samples and photos o f the different stages of the  value chain , including the  processing  of 
cotton into artisanal bogolan  textiles  in Mali.  
1.10.   China and Mali had also set up stands in the  WTO showcasing information on their cotton 
production and display ing different products of the value chain s.  
1.11.   The WTO Secretariat had also published a dedicated webpage to disseminate i nformation on 
cotton , including information on  trade, development assi stance activities and quotes from over 
twenty Ministers, Ambassadors, heads of partner  organizations and companies on the importance 
of WCD 2020 . 
1.12.   The Chair thanked the Secretariat for the report  and invited the C-4 to report on the activities 
organized and to provide an update on the status of the  draft resolution before the U nited Nations  
General Assembly  (UNGA)  for an official recognition of an international da y for cotton . 
1.13.   Ambassador Sougouri of Burkina Faso , speakin g on behalf of the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire and 
36 African cotton producing countries reported that activities had been organized in individual  
member  countrie s, in addition to a C-4 webinar organized with ITC and  the United Nations Industrial 
Development Organi zation (UNIDO) .  
1.14.   He also reported  that the C-4 had presented a draft resolution to the  UNGA session in 2020. 
However, due to restrictions related to the COVID -19 pandemic , Members of the United Nations had 
been requested not to table new resolutions for the 75th Session of the UNGA. Th erefore , he reported 
that the draft resolution w ould be presented as soon as the situation allowed . In the meantime, and 
despite th e situation , the C -4 would continue to interact with  UN and WTO Members  to secure the 
support needed for  the adoption of the draft resolution.  
1.15.   Lastly, the C-4 suggested the organiz ation celebration s for WCD 2021, in line with  the 
evolution of the  sanitary  situation . 
1.16.   The Chair thank ed the  C-4 for the update and expressed hope that WCD 2021 celebration s 
would be  held in person in different parts of the world .  
1.17.   The Executive Director of ICAC, Mr. Kai Hughes , reported that the WCD 2020 celebration had 
turned  out extremely well , despite being  mostly on -line. ICAC had produced four videos for the 
occasion and had launched a dedicated website (https://www.worldcottonday.com/ ) that will be 
used in the following years to, inter alia , disseminate infor mation and inspire  future events . The 
videos  which had been  produced  by ICAC  were part of the "Truth about Cotton Campaign " and they 
had been viewed globally . ICAC had also registered several  activities with the engagement  of 
Ministers, cotton growers , textile brands and clothing retailers  throughout the world . Those event s 
had been  covered in TV shows, radio programmes and specialized magazines.  TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  1.18.   The Chair thank ed the representative of ICAC for his presentation  and the various  activities 
undertaken  by ICAC  to promote WCD 202 0.  
1.19.   The representative of FAO reported that  FAO had published  key messages on the global 
importance of cotton production in their main website as well as on social media channels. At the 
regional and country -levels, week-long activities had been organized mainly  by FAO's r egional office 
for Latin America and the Caribbean  with the support of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency  (ABC) and 
the Brazilian Cotton Institute (IBA)  as part of the regional "Cotton Plus Project ". From 5 to 
9 October  2020, two regional  webinars  and several country -level events on cotton had been 
organized and attended by  thousand s of participants. He noted that the reports of those events had 
been shared with the WTO Secretariat  and that they would be uploaded together with other 
documents from the meeting on the WTO website . He concluding by sharing  the main take-away 
messages from the Latin America  events : (i) need to foster  good agricultur al practices  in cotton 
production  in the region ; (ii) ne ed to reduce the tech nology divide in the cotton sector ; (iii) need for 
increas ed efforts to better position L atin American  cotton on international markets ; (iv) enhance the 
coordination  between  government s and the private sector ; and (v) lend special  assistance to  family 
farmers and indigenous  cotton  producers.  
1.20.   The Chair  thanked the representative of FAO for his report and  for the support  received  from 
FAO's Director -General  on WCD 2020 .  
1.21.   The representative of UNIDO  reported th at they had been involved  in two events on 
WCD 2020. The first event was a webinar entitled "The Cotton Road programme: A driver of 
opportunities for women and young people ", organized  with the C -4 and ITC on 6 October  2020. 
The event had benefitted from the participation of high -level speakers,  including DDG  Wolff,  and 
had seen interactive discussion s. He noted that  the reason for joining efforts with the C -4 and ITC 
on the Cotton Road Programme was to improve quality in the cotton value chain, support the textile 
and clot hing sector s, and promote investment and transfer of know -how and technology. He further 
noted that UNIDO i ntend s to pursue those objectives  in the larger context of IDDA III, the Third 
Industrial Development Decade for Africa , a politically  very important  initiative actively supported 
by eight African Presidents  and co-led by the African Union ( AU), the New Partnership for Africa's 
Development ( NEPAD ), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA ) and UNIDO. 
He stressed that IDDA III provides a platform for the development and implementation of joint 
interventions for economic diversification and value addition  while fostering business partnerships 
and blending traditional and innovative financing solutions for industrialization. He em phasized that 
cooperation on cotton fits very well with IDDA III 's aspirations and that UNIDO is keen to support 
and promote a flagship IDDA III initiative on cotton, with the Cotton Road Programme as a pilot 
programme.  
1.22.   The second event  UNIDO reported on  was a  celebration o f WCD in Egypt organized by the 
Cotton Egypt Association and the International Cotton Researchers Association, in partnership 
with ICAC. That event had been held under the auspices of the Minister of Trade and Industry, 
H.E. Mrs. Nevine Gamea , and the Minister of Public Business Sector,  H.E. Mr. Hesham Tawfik. The 
representative of UNIDO  reported that H.E. Mrs.  Nevine Gamea had praised the launch of the Better 
Cotton Initiative in Egypt , implemented since  June 2020  with the support of  UNIDO through the 
Egyptian cotton project funded by the Government of Italy. He also reported that the Minister of 
Public Business Sector had recalled the efforts in supporting the Egyptian cotton sector and  the 
modernization plan of public textile companies from ginneries to manufacturers , with investments  
of about USD 1.3 billion .  
1.23.   The Chair  thanked the representative of UNIDO for his report and for the support provide d to 
cotton development activities.   
1.24.   The representative of Common Funds for Commodities  (CFC)  reported that CFC had 
maintained its commitment to development assistance programmes during the  COVID -19 pandemic, 
and that it had recently completed a round of call for proposal s. Most of the demand s were for trade 
finance assistance operations by developing countries and small and medium enterprises  (SMEs). 
However , he noted that few demands had been received from the cotton sector, despite their 
availability  to fund such type of projects . He further no ted that the CFC had been aware  of and 
responsive to the needs of SMEs to overcome the economic effects  of the pandemic . Therefore, 
liquidity emergency support  had been made available t o companies to maintain the ir operations 
during the period . He further stressed the increas e of projects for fostering public -private TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  partnerships , with a  total of over USD 700 billion  provided by the CFC and the wish to strengthen  
ties with  DGCFMC  participants .  
1.25.   The Chair  thanked the representative of the CFC for his report and for the valuable work that 
they carry out.  
1.26.   The representative of Brazil  referr ed to the document circulated at the request of Brazil 
reporting on the WCD 2020 events and acti vities undertaken by the Brazilian  Cooperation 
Agency  (ABC) , the Brazilian Cotton Producers Association (ABRAPA)  and the  Brazilian Cotton 
Institute  (IBA)  in WT/CFMC/W/81 . According to the report, several  events benefitting Brazilian, Latin 
American and Caribbean cotton producers  had been organized , including webinar s with the 
participation of other developing countries and international organization s. A campaign named 
"Soudealgodão " had been carried out on social media and TV channels  to promote the use of cotton . 
The Brazilian mission to the WTO had also contributed to and attended the celebrations and events 
organized by the WT O Secretariat. Th ose actions had been  joined by other Brazilian missions abroad.  
1.27.   The Chair  thanked the delegate of Brazil f or his report a nd for Brazil's  initiatives  and active 
participation in WCD 2020 events.   
1.28.   The representative of China  expressed his appreciation to the C-4 and to the WTO Secretariat 
for the WCD 2020 activities . He reported that activities  had been  held in China with  wide participation 
of stakeholders and hig h-level representation , especially in the major cotton producing regions  such 
as Xinjian.  He noted that WCD 2020 celebration s had enabled Members to deepen their 
understand ing of: the challenges and difficulties faced in the ongoing trade  negotiations at the WTO ; 
the importance of a more transparent cotton environment especially for cotton producers  in LDCs ; 
the need for more cotton -related development assistance to improve the livelihood s of famers ; and 
the necess ity to support  future cotton  events and the negotiations. He further noted China 's 
willingness to , collectively with other Members , explore  possible  future activities and format s 
for WCD celebrations . 
1.29.   The Chair thanked the delegate of China f or his report and for all the actions undertaken to 
support cotton development.  
1.30.   The representative of India  congratulated the WTO Secretariat , partner org anization s and 
the C-4 for the 1st anniversary of WCD . Despite the sanitary limitations, activities had been held in 
India for WCD 2020. India 's Union Minister of Textiles and Women & Child Development , 
H.E. Mrs. Smriti Zubin Irani,  had launched the first brand and logo of Indian cotton, known as 
"Kasturi Cotton ". The brand  represent s the quality and uniqueness  of Indian cotton . He recalled  the 
importance of cotton to India 's economy as one of the most valuable  comm ercial crops which helps 
to provide for  the livelihood of about six million cotton farmers. He noted that India is the second 
largest cotto n producer and the largest consumer of cotton in the world. India produces about six 
million ton nes of cotton every year , representing around  23% of world cotton  production. India also 
produces 51% of the world's organic cotton. The webinar which had been organized also helped to 
highlight the importance of susta inability in cotton production,  and had served to exchange ideas 
and scenarios with textile industries . He reported that social media  posts had been published and 
WTO posts re -shared , as well as c otton masks  distributed  to mark WCD 2020 .  
1.31.   The Chair  thanked the delegate of India f or his report and for the activities undertaken.  
1.32.   The representative of Pakistan  appreciated the efforts of the WTO Secretariat  and of other 
international partner organizations on cotton. He noted that Pakistan is one of the largest cotton 
producers in the world,  and the commodity is  vital to the  country's economy  especially for its  export s 
and employment. WCD 2020 had been c elebrated across th e country  through se minars  and 
symposi a for cotton associations and research institutions , encourag ing farmers to upgrade their 
techniques and standards . WCD 2020 had also been advertised  on governmental websites using the 
hashtag suggested  by the WTO Secr etariat.  
1.33.   The Chair commended a ll those who had  reported on their activities for WCD 2020. Despite 
the health restriction s, he was pleased to note that WCD 2020 had been  celebrated by all the partner 
founding organizations (WTO, FAO, UNCTAD, ITC, ICAC and UNIDO) , Members, Observers, civil 
society and the private sector in various parts of the globe through meaningful and varied events.  TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  He recalled th e reasons behind  the call for a recognized international UN cotton day, including the 
need to tackle global cotton trade and development challenges.  He proposed that the statements 
made be reflected in the report of th e meeting and that  the WTO Secretariat  follow up on the 
suggestions made . 
2  STATEMENT BY THE C -4 COORDINATOR  
2.1.  Ambassador Sougouri of Burkina Faso , speaking on behalf of the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire and 
36 African cotton producing countries , reported on the economic consequences of the COVID -19 
pandemic  on cotton producers in Africa . He noted that the situation had been the topic of several  
studies covering  the scope and consequences on the livelihood of people in small economies . He 
stressed that LDCs were hit hard er by the crisis  and recalled the information presented at the 
previous DGCFMC meeting that the  cotton produced in 2020  in C-4 countries  had been stuck  in 
factories, transit hubs and port facilities facing weather and other type s of adverse conditions , 
significant ly impacting  their quality and mounting to  financial losses. He appealed to 
DGCFMC  participants to further support the C -4 in finding lasting solution s to enable cotton 
producers to build strong and resilient value -chains to withstand the devastating consequences of 
the COVID -19 pandemic. Lastly, the C -4 asked for support for the regional cotton initiative named 
"The Cotton Road  Map Project ". The project aimed to ensure the development of the cotton value 
chain  instrument al for job creation , fight against  poverty, improve  food security and for ensur ing 
sustainable economic and social development  in the region .  
2.2.  The Chair  thanked the C -4 for their statement  and called on Members and partner organizations 
to attend to the C -4 and other African cotton producers' needs.  
3  RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE GLOBAL  COTTON MARKET   
3.1.  Mr. Kai Hughes of ICAC presented on the interlinkages between c otton and climate change.  He 
noted , at the outset , that cotton not only contributes to efforts to offset climate change , but it is 
also a victim of clim ate change. He started by stressing that deforestation  happens for land use  in 
cotton farms, in addition to e lectricity and petroleum products that are used for energy in farm 
operations, transport, textile manufactur ing and clothing use. He further added that c hemicals used 
in fertilizers, pesticides, polyester, nylon, acrylic, chemical dyes etc., are made from fossil fuels  and 
that the burning of fossil fuels and energy contribute to emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2, 
methane, nitrous oxide,  ozone, chlorofluorocarbons  and water vapor . Those gases act as a blanket 
around the earth , trapping the  heat and caus ing global warming. This leads to temperature 
anomalies  and erratic rainfall patterns which affect farming  around the world . 
3.2.  He emphasized  that c otton and the textile sector in African countries have the lowest 
environmental footprint  because c otton farms in Africa are  mostly rainfed  and the energy for 
irrigation and agrochemical usage is negligible. He noted that t here is hardly any industr ialized textile 
activity in Africa , in contrast to m ost developed and developing countries which use power to farm 
the land in the form of tractors and machinery, in addition to the extensive use of pesticides and 
fertilizers which are contributors to clim ate change.  
3.3.  He reported that n itrogenous fertilizers have a higher carbon footprint because urea is produced 
from natural gas . He stressed , however,  that c otton is a C3 plant, along with 80% of the plants on 
the globe, which means that it is more efficient in utilizing CO 2. Hence, African cotton is a net 
sequester of CO 2 as it takes in CO 2 and sunlight that are converted into sugars through 
photosynthesis.   
3.4.  He then  showed how the amount of CO 2 and carbon emissions ha d skyrocketed  ever since 
the 1950's, and the predictions of the world 's major global warming agencies show ed that by  2100 
global temperatures are going to rise between two to five degrees  Celsius . As temperature s increase , 
they are  bound to lead to  more rains and more erratic monsoons and frequent floods as well as 
droughts.   
3.5.  He concluded that cotton production contributes very little to climate change  since of all the 
greenhouse emissions associated with cotton, cotton production only accounts for between 5 -10%. 
That figure is even lower for organic  cotton . The manufacture of cotton accounts for 20 -30% of 
greenhouse emissions and is associated with the production and processing of cotton and the use of TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  chemicals for scouring to remove waxes and dyei ng. Hence, the biggest contributor s to greenhouse 
gases are consumers when wash ing and ironing clothes.   
3.6.  By analyzing the various stages of cotton production, transformation and us age, he noted that 
from production to the finished product very little energy is used.  In fact , for all fibe rs both natural 
and synthetic , the GHG emissions are the same from the yarn production phase.   
3.7.  Regarding n itrogenous fertili zers, he noted that they are important for high  yields. 
Notwithstanding, u nlike all other agro -chemicals, nitrogenous fertilizers have a higher carbon 
footprint in agriculture, because apart from being produced from natural gas they contribute to 
nitrous oxide emissions when used as fertilizer. Even or ganic cotton that uses manure also releases 
methane gas and nitrous oxide into the air. Contrastingly, u rea production is considered to have a 
lower carbon footprint than ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Starch -coated urea emits 21% less nitrous 
oxides, wherea s neem coated urea emits 12% lesser nitrous oxide compared to urea. Thus , he 
stressed that the choice of fertilizer type with a preference for starch coated or neem coated urea 
and precision application methods play an important role in reducing the enviro nmental footprint of 
nitrogenous fertilizer.  
3.8.  He stated that a ll agricultural crops emit greenhouse gasses during production because of the 
use of energy, manures, fertili zers and pesticides. Cotton crop emits 1.7  kg of CO 2 equivalent 
greenhouse gases per k ilogram of fib er produced. But cotton also captures and stores a higher 
amount of 2.2 kg CO 2 equivalent of greenhouse gases in its fib ers and soil. Thus , cotton absorbs 
half a kilo more greenhouse gases than it emits.  
3.9.  This led to the conclusion that cotton  captures more CO 2 than other crops, and thus has a great 
potential to reduce atmospheric CO 2. In general , plants absorb CO 2 and sequester carbon in their 
biomass,  but cotton plants do more than that. They use CO 2 and H 2O (water) to create cellulose and 
because cotton fib ers are 96 -98% pre -cellulose they are the world 's best natural, biodegradable 
fiber.  
3.10.   Therefore , cotton sequesters 0.5 kg per kg of fib er produced and as a C3 plant it has greater 
capacity to use that CO 2 and when  organic , it can sequester even more CO 2 as even less greenhouse  
gasses  (as much as 50% less ) are emitted during production.   
3.11.   Regarding  how cotton biodegrades  in comparison to a polyester T -shirt and a cotton jersey 
buried in soil for 12 weeks , studies have shown that a polyester shirt could take 20 to 200 years to 
shred , but unfortunately not bio -degrade.  If cotton  is put  into a composting container it biodegrades 
to 95% in as little as four w eeks.  If the soil  has organic matter , cotton  biodegrade s quicker.  
Interestingly , in a blended fabric the cotton biodegrade s, but the polypropylene d oes not.  
3.12.   Every second, the equival ent of one garbage  truck of textiles  is landfilled or burned. So that 
means that  when  textiles  are put  into landfills , only non -biodegradable synthetic textiles  are left 
therefore causing global environmental threats.  In 2015 , textile waste amounted to 16 million tonnes 
worldwide  and about 70% of the landfill s had non-biodegradable synthetic textiles. In addition , 
micro -fibers are released every time synthetic clothing are washed, making  synthetic clothing an 
environmental disaster.    
3.13.   While  cotton can have a positive effect on climate change it is also adversely affected by 
climate change . Cotton belongs to  the photosynthetic category referred to as C3 crops such as 
wheat, rice sunflower etc., and unlike sugarcane, maize and sorghum for example which are C4 
crops.  
3.14.   He noted that C3 crops can sequester almost double the levels of CO 2 than C4 crops. In fact , 
the C4 crops cannot capture CO 2 any further than what they are capable to absorb at the current 
prevalent atmospheric levels of 415 ppm. Thus , as the CO 2 continues to rise in the next 80 years to 
about 800 ppm, cotton crop will continue to serve the environment by continuing to absorb more 
and more CO 2.  
3.15.   Cotton takes  well up to 720  – 820 ppm CO 2. Hence, CO2 levels are not of concern to growing 
cotton except that CO 2 influences temperature.  The effect of temperature on the plants ' TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  photosynthesis , independent of levels of CO 2, is characterized by the fact that above  26 degrees 
Celsius the plant is less effective at photosynthesis  and that has a negative effect on  yields.  
3.16.   He explained that e ach stage of the cotton crop has a specific optimum temperature range. 
Temperatures below and above the optimal range will have negative effects on yields. Cotton crop 
prefers warmth early in its life , but prefers cooler temperatures for flowering, boll formation and boll 
retention stages. It is important to note that if the night temperatures exceed 27 degrees, yields 
can decrease  dramatically.  He noted that n ight temperatures are predicted to increase significantly 
because of global warming.  However, t emperatures less than and greater than 30 degrees Celsius 
lead to  less than 100% germination.  
3.17.   Cotton seedlings grow better  in warm er temperatures with a good root growth, but not in 
temperatures above 40 degrees. Global warming is predicted to result in high summer temperatures 
which could coincide with seedling growth.  Boll formation and boll retention need slightly less 
warmth. Thus, n ight temperatures higher than 27 degrees Celsius  can be disast rous for boll weight 
and boll retention  which can also affect  the fiber quality.  At 26 degrees Celsius , the effects that 
temperature has on length, micronaire, strength and uniformity  are significant .  
3.18.   He reported that i n a study looking at 45 years of data in Cameroon, yields increased with 
rainfall up to a cumulative total of 700 mm after which there was a decrease in yields.  This was  
explained by the way in which  after 700 mm , excessive  rainfall increases N leaching and hence 
reduces N uptake . Also, excess water waterlogging asphyxiates the roots to depress yields.  
3.19.   He conclude d by highlight ing that temperature rise s affect  yields  in Africa  if the rise is greater 
than 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius . Thus, t o make cotton resilient to climate change  it is needed to reduce 
dependence on synthetic fertili zers and chemical pesticides , breed temperature tolerant cultivars , 
use starch coated or neem coated urea for the slow release of nitrogen into the soil , practice 
minimum tillage as every time the soil is tilled it  disturb s the top soil which took 10 – 20,000 years 
to form and the trapped nitrogen is released into the atmosphere. He reported that m any countries 
are aw are of  it and have moved to conservation tillage which only disturbs about 30 to 50% of the 
soil. Finally , he stressed that to maintain soil cover there should be  no runoff to avoid soil degradation 
and that there is a  need to maintain cover crops and crop  residues to increase the organic content 
in the soil as soils that are rich in organic matter capture more water , retain it well and minimize 
evaporation loss.   
3.20.   The Chair thank ed the representative of ICAC for the interesting and timely presentation on 
the linkages between cotton and climate change , a very important topic to all of us and to future 
generations. The floor was then opened for questions and comment s on ICAC's presentation.   
3.21.   The representative of China  thank ed ICAC for the presentation and asked: (i)  whether 
reducing pesticides and fertilizers in cotton production would affect the quality and productivity 
levels;  and (ii) what was ICAC's opinion on transgenic cotton .  
3.22.   The representative of ICAC responded that  his presentatio n had been intended to show that 
the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides have a  significant impact on climate change.  He 
suggested that a  simple solution would be to put back stalks onto the soil. Regarding p esticides , he 
proposed that instead of  using synthetic pesticides, farmers  should seek natural  solutions such as  
bugs to kill pests . Those are  simple techniques which are part of the programme  that ICAC is using 
in Africa to make good use of what is already in nature.  He asserted that in some cases fertilizers 
and pesticides  are necessary, but for farmers to use natur al options first.  
3.23.   Regarding BT cotton, he acknowledged that the topic is controversial and highlighted that it  
might be right for some countries but not to all countries. BT cotton development programme s are 
set to combat a specific p est. Therefore,  when a new pest variety  appears  a new  generation of 
BT cotton seeds  need to be developed . Thus,  there is a cost  associated  to BT cotton. For farmers i n 
some co untries i t is a huge cost and it might not be appropriate. In Africa, there are many natural 
options that may accomplish the same as BT Cotton to control the cotton bollworm . Hence, BT cotton  
is not aimed at increas ing yields, but rather at protect ing the crop  from certain  pests and diseases  
and it m ight work for some countries but not for every country.  TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  3.24.   The representative of ITC  asked whether ICAC ha d undertaken a comparison exercise 
between cotton produced in Africa which is rain feed and use s little fertilizers vis-à-vis cotton 
produced in other regions of the world and that are machine harvested and use a lot of synthetic 
fertilizers in terms of CO 2 emissions.  
3.25.   The representative of ICAC responded that ICAC could  make those comparisons in the future . 
He emphasized that w hat he wanted  to show was the positive  correlation between Africa n cotton 
production  and climate change, considering the sequestering of CO2 emissions  and how 
CO2 emission s affect rain patterns. He closed  by noting the n eed to continue monitoring climate 
change and modelling how African countries will be affected.  
3.26.   The Chair thanked Mr. Kai Hughes  for his  presentation  and the delegations that took the floor . 
4  DIRECTOR -GENERAL 'S EVOLVING TABLE ON COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTAN CE  
4.1.  The Chair introduced Item 4 of the agenda by re calling th at the latest version of the Evolving 
Table on Cotton Development Assistance  ("ET") had been circulate d in 
document  WT/CFMC/6/Rev.2 9. 
4.2.  Mr. Robson Fernandes of  the Agriculture and Commodities Division  presented  the latest revision 
of the ET. He first recalled the structure of the ET which is divided into three ma in parts: (i) notified 
cotton -specific projects; (ii) notified active projects on agriculture and infrastr ucture -related 
activities benefitting  the cotton sector directly or indirectly;  and (iii) contact details of national cotton 
focal points  in beneficiary countries . The ET also include d two annexes listing all completed projects 
previously notified to the WTO, which were important for statistical and analytical  monitoring  
purposes.  The updated information  was also available on the Cotton Portal 
(https://www.cottonportal.org/cotton ).  
4.3.  The information  received f or the la test revision of the ET include d updates under Part I on 
cotton -specific programmes by  Brazil, France and the  United States .  
4.4.  France had notified a  new cotton -specific programme in Benin for a committed amount  of 
EUR 10 million . The United States had also notified a new project benefitting Benin, Burkina Faso, 
Chad and Mali, with results impacting all cotton -growing member states of UEMOA4 and ECOWAS5, 
for a total  amount of USD 1.2 millio n. Those two new projects  had been  added to Part I of the  ET 
and had resulted in a 6% increase in committed value to ongoing cotton -specific development 
programmes.  
4.5.  Regarding actual disbursement for ongoing cotton -specific projects, Brazil and 
the United  States had notified new disbursement s reaching the total amount of  USD 2.760  million . 
That had resulted in a 3% increase  to the total  value of disbursement s for cotton -specific 
programmes  of the ET . 
4.6.  The representative of Chad, on behalf of the C -4, thanked  the WTO Secretariat for the latest 
revision of the ET . He also thanked development partners, both under North -South and South -South 
cooperation, for the support provided to the cotton sector of African countries and LDCs, and 
particular ly in C-4 countries. He expressed concern s about  the fluctuation of the ratio of 
disburseme nt to total commitments . For cotton -specific programmes , development assistance to 
cotton had dropped from 29% to 28% in the current revision  of the ET, showing a decline in the 
level of disbursement s. The total number of ongoing projects and program mes stood at  26. The 
disbursement ratio of agriculture and infrastructure -related development assistance h ad not 
changed, standing at 27%. The C-4 note d that currently 2 3 African  countries compared to 
25 countries in the previous version  of the ET were  benefit ing from development assistance for 
agriculture  and related -infrastructure . He stressed  the need to maintain assistance at pre-COVID -19 
levels or even to increase  it to counterbalance the adverse effects caused by the pandemic on the 
economies of co tton producing LDCs. He further encourage d all development partners  to extend  
assistance in facing the new challenges posed by the COVID -19 pandemic . He recalled the regional 
initiative  "The Cotton Road Map Project " aimed at ensur ing the development of the cotton value 
 
4 Union Economique et Monétarie Ouest Africain e. 
5 Economic Community of West African States.  TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  chain , serv ing as an instrument for job creation , improv e the situation of food security and to ensur e 
sustainable and inclusive social and economic development  in the region . Finally, the C -4 urge d 
Members to contribut e to other national and regional projects that could promote production, 
processing and marketing of their c otton and cotton by -products based on the development 
component of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference Decision on cotton.  
4.7.  The representative of Brazil highlight ed that  despite the adverse health and economic  
circumstances , from 30 June to 23 October 2020 Brazil had made disbursements in all five ongoing 
programmes reported in the ET. Approximately USD 2 million had been  disburse d with a total  amount 
of USD 37 million being already spent for the five programmes  listed . 
4.8.  The representative of Pakistan  underlined the importance of cotton -specific technical assistance 
to developing countries and took note of the updates in the ET. As a provider and a receiver of cotton 
technical assistance, he reported  that Pakistan continue d to provide cotton -related technical 
assistance to the C -4. He further thanked Australia  for the technical assistance received  in its cotton 
sector . 
4.9.  The Chair  thank ed the representatives of the donor community for providing inputs on their 
projects to the ET . He noted that despite the pandemic and the current economic situation, the 
number of active cotton -specific projects recorded in this latest version of the Evol ving Table has 
increased from 24 to 26. The two new projects had been notified by France and the United States 
for a total the amount of  USD 13.795 million and  had represent ed a notable 6% increase in the total 
amount of cotton -specific commitments. In addition, Brazil and the United States had reported the 
disbursement of USD 2.764 million for cotton -specific projects since the July  meeting, which had 
represent ed a 3% increase in disbursements. He added that th ose targeted cotton programmes 
ultimately help to empower local cotton producers and enable various actors to develop their cotton 
value chains in some of the poorest regions of the world. He emphasize d the need to continu e 
focussing on the needs of cotton produc ing developing countr ies to address their technical assistance 
and development needs and improve their cotton production, transformation,  and trade.  
5  SOUTH -SOUTH COTTON CO OPERATION  
5.1.  The Chair  introduced Item 5 of the agenda by acknowledging the regular  contributions of Brazil, 
China, India, Pakistan , and Turkey on  the platform of South -South cooperation and opened the floor 
for any delegation wishing to provide updates on relevant program mes. 
5.2.  The representative of Brazil  reported  that Brazil continues to provide technical assistance to 
developing countries despite the pandemic. The five ongoing initiatives  supported by Brazil and listed 
in the ET benefit the following African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ke nya, Malawi, 
Mozambique, Togo and Tanzania . The projects also assist neighbour ing countries in Latin America  
and the Caribbean, namely:  Argentina ; Bolivia, Plurinational State of ; Colombia ; Ecuador ; Haiti; 
Paraguay ; and Peru.  
5.3.  The representative of China  reported that China's cotton development assistance focus es on 
capacity building and technology for industrialisation of the cotton and cotton by -products sectors, 
aimed at making full use of the crop . He noted that China continues to provide South -South 
cooperation  on cotton despite the pandemic. Since 2019, China had been cooperat ing with African 
partners to diversify and improve cotton production in the C-4 and in other  African  cotton producing 
countries. Agriculture technology demonstration programmes had been implemented in Benin  and 
Chad. In Benin, China  provided cotton quality seeds, farm machines, fertilizers,  and pesticides to 
help local cotton production and industrial development. In addition, three  cooperation development 
programmes had been und ertaken in other African countries, including two countries -specific 
programmes in Uganda and Mad agascar. One regional programme covering Ethiopia, Kenya, and 
Uganda  aimed at pest control since 2019 with the collaboration  of FAO. China had also supported 
C-4 experts to participate in some important cotton -related events , such as WCD. In January 2020, 
at the request of the C -4, China had  funded the participation of Geneva -based C -4 experts to attend 
the high-level workshop  and C -4 Ministerial  meeting held  in Burkina Faso . Lastly, he reported that 
China w ould prepare and submit updates to the ET , including programmes provided by the 
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  5.4.  The representative of India  reported that India had  been meaningfully assisting to strengthen 
both the agriculture as well as the textile value chain s in Africa . Approximately USD  2.85 million had 
been provided to cotton technical assistance program mes in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Malawi, 
Nigeria,  and Uganda over a period o f seven years from 2012 to 2018. Those program mes had two 
main component s on training and on capacity building , involving various aspect s related to cotton 
production, post -harvest,  and value addition . Almost two thousand African farmers, government 
officials and private sector representatives received training on how to enhance cotton production 
through courses on better agriculture practices. That include d setting up a mode rn ginning unit in 
Benin , an apparel manufacturing centre i n Nigeria a nd Malawi , and a biopesticide lab oratory  in 
Uganda. He noted that at the P artner's Conference held during the 2019 WCD launch, India had 
announced the second phase of the cotton technical assistance program me scaled up in size and 
coverage through the introduc tion of f ive additional countries : Mali, Ghana, Togo, Zambia, and 
Tanzania. The second phase w ould cover a total of 11 African countries , including the C -4, and would 
be implemented over a five -year span. It would focus on increasing cotton production and improving 
the post -harvest , as well as building the capacity of textile structure s in benefitting  countries. He 
further recalled that India provides duty -free and quota -free access to all cotton imports from LDC s, 
which, as a result,  is significantly higher for India than the world average . He concluded by stressing 
that India remain ed committed to building long -term partnership s with Africa especially on cotton . 
5.5.  The representative of Burkina Faso , on behalf of the  C-4, thanked Brazil, China, India, Pakistan,  
and Turkey for the assistance received . 
5.6.  The Chair thanked all the delegations who took the floor to share information and details on 
their South -South cooperation program mes. He also encouraged developing count ries to continue 
strengthening South -South cooperation on cotton and recalled that the contributions made by 
participants were recorded and given official recognition, particularly through the Evolving Table.  
6  COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROJECTS  
6.1.  The Chair introduced agenda Item 6 by underscoring that the inclusion of th e item had been 
requested by the C -4 and constituted a major improvement to the practical  work of the Consultative 
Mechanism. He added that discussions under th e agenda i tem also responded to the Ministerial 
Mandates on cotton formulated in paragraph  11 of the 2015 Nairobi decision  and paragraph  10 
of the 2013 Bali decision .  
6.2.  The representativ e of Burkina Faso , speaking on behalf of the C -4, expressed their appreciation  
to development partners for their contribution s in the implementation of cotton development 
assistance projects whose objective s are to improve the productivity and competitiven ess of the 
cotton/textile/clothing sector s. Those projects ultimately aimed to encourage the processing and 
local upgrading of cotton with a view to diversifying both the sub-regional  and international markets.  
He noted  that the C -4 countries are faced with  enormous challenges  for implementing "The C otton 
Road Map Project ". The pro ject cover s a seven -year period , including a pilot implementation phase 
of four years followed by a three -year acceleration phase. He reported that t wo years after its launch 
only two components of the programme  had been initiated , namely those relat ed to the valorisation 
of seed s and promotion  for investment s, transfer of technology and know -how. The components for 
the creation of value add ition to the cotton fibre in West and Centra l-Africa were still awaiting 
implementation.  
6.3.  Because of the importance of "The C otton Road Map Project " to the region's development, 
the C-4 reaffirm ed the wish to organize a round table for financing pending cotton projects and 
programmes on the margins of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference  and welcome d the participation 
of all DGCFMC partners .  
6.4.  He further reiterate d that the C-4 support ed the discussions  to enhance the effectiveness of 
the DGCFMC through the ongoing discussions to  updat e Item 6  of the agenda .  
6.5.  He also thanked the WTO Secretariat for the  activities undertaken to assess the impact of 
the COVID -19 pandemic  to the agricultural sector with a view to identifying appropriate and targeted 
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  6.6.  He stress ed that the C-4 appreciat ed the efforts by development partners to mobilize more 
resources to strengthen cotton sector s in LDCs, in accordance with the 2013  Bali and 2015 Nairobi 
inisterial Decisions.  
6.7.  Finally, he proposed the establishment of a "management committee" to co -ordinate the 
implementation of the project on transfer of technology and know -how for the development of cotton 
by-products in LDCs.  
6.8.  The Chair thanked Ambassador Sougouri for the update provid ed by the C -4. 
6.9.  The Chair then invited Cameroon to make a present ation on their cotton production, 
processing,  and transformation, as well as on their specific cotton -related development  assistance  
needs . Since that was the first participation  of Cameroon  in the Consultative Mechanism, the Chair 
welcome d Cameroon and encourage d their active participation in the work ahead . 
6.10.   The representative of Cameroon , from  the Société de Développement du Coton du 
Cameroun  (SODECOTON) , presented  a specific p roject  request  for equipping a laboratory with 
machines for  grading the cotton fibre.  Firstly, h e reported that SODECOTON ha d undertaken 
important internal reorganization and made investment s to consolidate its current management  with 
a view to strengthen its co mpetitiveness in international market s. Those actions had result ed in 
positive overall financial balance sheets in the last two years after several loss es. The current cotton 
production was around 350,000 tonnes  out of which more than 140,000 tonnes of the fibre is 
manually classified . Systematic classification by HVI chain (High Volume Instrument), both by cotton 
fibre traders and spinners  can increase  the income foregone of almost 10 CFA/kg of lint (15/tonne) , 
1/32nd inch (0.8 mm), and nearly 4 CFA/kg of fibre (6/tonne) for a half -grade.  Thus, SODECOTON 
was searching for financing from partner  organization s to purchase two HVI and one 
thermo -detector , as they are internationally recognized, as opposed to manual classification .  
6.11.   He noted  that t he optimization of cotton fibre classification and guarantees o n quality of cotton 
fibre from Cameroon would increase the valorisation of its cotton . 
6.12.   The Chair thanked the representative of Cameroon for the very detailed presentation.  He then 
enquired about  the number of cotton fa rmers and personnel working for SODECOTON and the 
importance of cotton to the local economy.  
6.13.   The representative of Cameroon  informed the DGCFMC  that around 200,000 small producers 
and famers collaborate with SODECOTON and th at the cott on sector represent s close to 14% of the 
region's GDP.  
6.14.   The representative of ICAC  congratulated Cameroon on the initiative of buying the 
HVI machines as it can make a huge pricing difference to cotton sellers. He also highlighted that it 
is important to be nchmark the HVI  machines  to find out how well they a re performing. ICAC has a 
running global trial along with USDA and the Fibres Institute in Germany to benchmark the 
HVIs around the world and helping to identify problems.  
6.15.   The representative of Burkina Faso , on behalf of the C -4, congratulated Cameroon for the 
interesting presentation and offered the C -4's availability to work with Cameroon to ensure success 
in their cotton -related endeavour s.  
6.16.   The representative of Chad  also co ngratulated Cameroon and corroborated the pledges from 
the C -4 coordinator , noting  that the whole region w ould benefit by sharing good practices and 
experiences  on cotton production . He further asked partners to give special attention to the request  
from Cameroon.  
6.17.   The representative of UEMOA  also congratulated Cameroon as it s project request  represent ed 
an interesting initiative for all Sub -Saharan African countries where cotton has a huge contribution 
to the economy. He further noted that cotton  classifica tion was important to avoid disputes between 
buyers and sellers . Thus, having  automated instead of manual classification would facilitate 
commercial transaction s. He asked about the possibility of receiving the economic studies related to 
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  6.18.   The representative of Cameroon  expressed gratitude  for the opportunity of showcasing their 
cotton -related project and thanked all the Members, especially the C -4, for their offer to assist. He 
restated Cameroon's interest to regularly participate in the Consultative Mechanism, as cotton is an 
important development and sustainable sector to  them, with significant social and economic impact .  
6.1  Review of the proposed updates of Item 6 of the DGCFMC agenda (WT/CFMC/W/80)  
6.19.   The Chair introduced the last topic under agenda Item 6, entitled "Review of the proposed 
updates of item 6 of DGCFMC agenda" .  
6.20.   He first recalled that  the WTO Secretariat had circulated on 20 July 2020 a conceptual note 
(WT/CFMC/W/80 ) following a proposal received from the C -4 in relation with the structure of the 
Consultative Framework Mechanism and this specific agenda item.  
6.21.   The content of  the conceptual n ote aimed at prioritizing demand -driven cotton development 
projects , whilst fostering multi -stakeholder coordination and international monitoring . That could  be 
achieved  through a table compiling requests by beneficiary developing countries  Members  based on 
their needs assessments and identified economic development priorities. The table would be publicly 
accessible to all DGCFMC participants and partners.  He stressed that the proposed table d id not 
entail funding or  the implementation of projects b y the WTO Secretariat , rather a channel for 
beneficiary countries to present their cotton -related requests while helping to ensure that th ose are 
fully in line with the transparency objectives of the WTO and accountability practices regarding 
international  development assistance.  
6.22.   For that purpose, t he Chair suggested that the  Mechanism first consider adding an annex to 
the Evolving Table listing all the cotton projects requests received from developing countries . That 
would be done before discussing and pos sibly agreeing to move into a fully -fledged on -line platform 
as envisaged in the conceptual note.  
6.23.   He concluded by noting that th e new Annex  would ultimately achieve the objectives intended, 
which are  to: give visibility to countries' needs and foster a mu lti-stakeholder coordination through 
the promotion of the listed project requests via the DGCFMC mailing list of partners/donors and 
through discussions in th e Consultative Mechanism.  
6.24.   The representative of Brazil  asked whether there had been any revision to the conceptual 
note including the comments  made by Member s. 
6.25.   The Chair explained that the comments  had been considered  but to move forward for the time 
being he simply suggested an annex to the Evolving Table instead of a fully -fledged platform as 
initially envisaged  in the conceptual note . The annex would be circulated for comments before 
finalization. The guidelines as proposed in the conceptual note would be proposed for further 
discussion once  the new annex to the ET  was finalized .  
6.26.    The representative of Burkina  Faso, speaking on behalf of the C-4, Côte d'Ivoire  and the 
36 African  countries producing and exporting cotton and  cotton  by-product s support ed the 
conceptual note  which envisages an  update of Item 6 of the agenda of the  Consultative Mechanism. 
He mentioned that  after 16 years of work it was important  to strengthen  the evaluation and impact 
of cotton development projects . Hence, the creation of a list of project requests would  enable a  
multi-party and well-articulated  coordination in the preparat ory and implementation phases of 
development assistance projects . The C-4 invited all development partners to support the  adoption 
and implementation of the proposed updates  which would  also help beneficiary countries  in achiev ing 
the UN S ustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  by 2030.  
6.27.   The Chair  thanked Burkina Faso for its intervention . 
6.28.   The representative of  China  support ed the  initiative to have project  demands information for 
cotton compiled in a single table to better identify  the needs from beneficiaries , especially in Africa.  
6.29.   The representative of the European Union  supported the idea of improving the Consultative 
Mechanism for the benefit  of developing countries . She then sought clarification of what was bein g TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  discussed  and approved , as no new revision of the conceptual note had been circulated as had been 
pointed out by the delegate of Brazil.  
6.30.   The Chair  explained that no revision  of the conceptual note had been  issued . The suggestion 
was to first move forward only with a new annex to the ET compil ing all project requests received 
from beneficiary country Members .  
6.31.   The representative of the European Union  thanked the Chair for the clarifications  provided . 
6.32.   The Chair thanked all participants for their comment s and remarks . He welcomed the fact 
that the Mechanism was moving in the right direction , bearing in mind the mandate for "effective 
assistance" from the 2015 Nairobi M inisterial Decision . He propose d that the Consultative  Mechanism 
take note of all the statements made  and that they be reflected in the records of th e meeting.  
7  DOMESTIC COTTON SECTOR AND OTHER REFORMS/NATIONAL COTTON SECTOR FOCAL 
POINTS  
7.1.  The Chair introduced Item 7  of the  agenda by inviting delegations who wis hed to take the floor 
to share with participants their latest information on domestic cotton sector reforms.  
7.2.  The representative of Burkina Faso  mentioned that interventions had been prepared  by experts 
from capitals . They had received the links to register for the meeting. However, t he expert from 
Burkina Faso had a technical impediment to join the meeting. Burkina Faso would share its report 
with the Secretariat for distribution.  
7.3.  The representative of Chad reported on t he ov erall context of cotton sector reform in Chad 
which is part of the overall institutional change process . The cotton sector in the country had been  
strengthened based on a participatory approach involving all actors of the sector.  He further reported 
that 60% of the shares of the previous state-company , CotonTchad , had been bought by the 
multinational company Olam , in 2018. Since then, cotton  production ha d been  growing gradually , 
targeting a total  of 300,000 tonnes  by 2023  up from the 100,000 tonnes in 2020 .  
7.4.  Furthermore,  Coton Tchad was solidify ing its institutional  role through the revitalization of the 
National Producer s Union  and assessing the entire cotton sector. As a result, since 2019 the 
cultivated  cotton area in Chad had increased to 288,540 ha,  representing  more than twice the area 
used in  2017, which would assist in increasing cotton production many folds. In addition, a m inisterial 
order  had been issued with the guidance of a tripartite committe e to determine a mechanism to : 
establish a  purchase price for cotton ; manage the transfer of inputs  to farmers ; and propose 
accompanying measures for different stakeholders and take relevant decisions to assist the sector.  
7.5.  He reported that those efforts h ad been affected  by the global health crisis from COVID -19, 
threatening producers with  bankruptcy and putting pressure to  revive the sector and motivate 
producers. Therefore, he called upon development partners for support to overcome the cris is and 
accele rate the transformation of the cotton  sector in Chad, considering its major economic and social 
importance to the economy and population .  
7.6.  The Chair  thanked all th ose who had intervened  and encouraged development partners to 
respond to the calls made. He f urther suggested that beneficiaries of cotton development assistance 
consider submitting relevant  information for inclusion in  the next revision of the Evolving Table. 
8  CONCLUSION  
8.1.  The Chair  concluded the meeting by thanking  all participants for the useful discussions  held 
during the meeting .  
8.2.  He noted that good progress had been consolidated through the DGCFMC work. A clear example 
had been the discussion s on cotton  projects and the envisaged  update of Item  6 of the agenda o f 
the Consultative M echanism.  
8.3.  He commended the donor community as well as the beneficiaries of cotton development 
assistance for their  usual active  engagement and constructive role in taking forward discussion s, as TN/AG/SCC/W/36 • WT/CFMC/63  
 
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  reflected in the Evolving Table. He encou raged Members to continue using the DGCFMC as an open 
forum for project -focused discussions.   
8.4.  The Chair a lso thanked the interpreters, Conference  Office services  and IT for their excellent 
work.  
8.5.  The meeting was adjourned.   
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