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Roberto Azevê do 
  Director -General         
 
 
 
7 November 2017 
 
 
 
 
Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives,  
 
 I am enclosing  the latest  version of the Evolving Table on Cotton Developm ent Assistance 
(WT/CFMC/6/Rev. 23) for review by Members in advance of the next Round of the Director -
General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton (DGCFMC).    
 
 The updated version of  the Evolving Table (ET) contain s new contributions from Australia, 
Brazil,  Canada,  Japan,  and the United States , as well as  from UNCTAD . Of particular significance is 
the support and contributions from Brazil, China and India on the platform of South -South Co -
operation.  
 
I am pleased to report that the figures in the latest version of the ET show that progress has 
continued in providing development assi stance to the cotton sector. There has been, in particular, 
an improvement  in the  ratio of disbursements to commitments in Part I  ("Cotton Specific 
Development Assistance" ), while the number of projects in their implem entation phase  remains 
stable . As regards Part  II ("Agriculture and Infrastructure -Related Development Assistance" ), there 
has been an increase in both the overall number of beneficiaries and  the ratio of disbursements to 
commitments .   
 
The commitments and disbursements of active operational projects  in the latest version of 
the ET are highlighted as  follow s:   
 
 Part I on Cotton Specific Development Assistance  shows stability in  both the number of 
African  and other beneficiaries  (32 in total)  and that of active projects (26 in total). The total 
value of committed amounts has also remained stable at  US$203.6 million . Disbursement s 
increased slightly  to reach US$ 113.7 million , while t he ratio of total disbursements to total 
commitments increased  from 54% in the previous version of the ET  to 55.8%  currently .  
 Part II on Agriculture and Infrastructure -Related Development Assistance  registers  a 
strong  increase in  the number of individual beneficiarie s (38 in total , up from  31), as well as 
stability in the number of projects  (63 in total) . The total value of commitments decreased 
to US$ 3.4 billion  from US$3.9 billion , while disbursement flows  increased  slightly , to reach 
US$1.7 billion. The ratio of total disbursements t o total commitments increased  significantly, 
from 44% in the previous version of the ET  to 51.8% cur rently.   
 
 
 
 
. /. 
  WTO   OMC 
 
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I am also attach ing the 15th version of the Table on Domestic Cotton Secto r Reform s 
(WT/CFMC/21/Rev. 14), reflecting new contributions from Burkina Faso,  Chad and Mali .  
 
The 2 8th Round of the DGCFMC will be held  in the morning of  17 November  2017. The eighth  
Dedicated D iscussion of  the Relevant Trade-related Developments  on C otton , chaired by  
Ambassador Stephen Ndun 'gu Karau , will take place , back-to-back with the 28th Round , in the 
afternoon  of the same day .  
 
The enclosed documents will form the basis for the 2 8th Round of Consultations  of the 
Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton , which will be chaired by DDG Alan Wm. Wolff  on 
my behalf .   
 
 
Yours sincerely , 
 
 
 
 
Roberto Azevê do