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Roberto Azevêdo 
  Director-General 
  
 
 
 
 15 June 2016 
 
  
 
Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives,  
 I am pleased to forward with this letter the 21
st version of the Evolving Table on Cotton 
Development Assistance (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.20) 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) registers contributions from Australia, Brazil, 
the European Union (and some of its Member States), Japan and Switzerland, as well as from the FAO, the IMF and the World Bank. Of particular si gnificance is the support from Brazil, China and 
India on the platform of South-South Co-operation. 
 
I am also pleased to share with Members the updated numerical values in the ET which 
show the dynamics on the implementation of commitments under the development assistance 
aspects of cotton. In that regard, it is worth noti ng the new projects that have been registered in 
Part I which relates to "Cotton Specific Development Assistance" as well as the notable increase in the completion of activities in Part II, which lists "Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related 
Development Assistance".   
 The commitments and disbursements of active operational activities in the latest ET are 
highlighted as follows:   
 
 In Part I, on Cotton Specific Development Assistance , the number of individual 
beneficiaries increased by 1 to 29, whereas the total number of commitments 
increased to 37 from 35 previously. The total value of commitments increased to US$294.8 million from US$226.4 million in the previous version. The disbursement flows increased by US$13.3 million to re ach US$115.6 million. The ratio of total 
disbursements to total commitments declin ed to 39%, compared to 45% earlier.  
 
 In Part II, on Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related Development Assistance , 
the number of individual beneficiaries decreased to 29 from 32, while the total number 
of commitments decreased to 46 from 54. The total value of these commitments decreased to US$3.4 billion and the disburse ment flows decreased by US$1.29 billion 
to reach US$1.76 billion. The ratio of total disbursements to total commitments 
declined to 51% from 61%.   
 
. /. WTO   OMC  
- 2 - 
 
 
 
I am also attaching the 13th version of the Table on Domestic Cotton Sector Reforms 
(WT/CFMC/21/Rev.12), reflecting new contributions from Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, as well as 
the continuation of the initiatives undertaken by Benin. These updates shed light on the efforts 
made by the proponent countries to implement reforms in their cotton sector.  
The 25
th Round of the DGCFMC is scheduled to take  place in the morning of 1 July 2016. The 
fifth Dedicated Discussion on the Relevant Trad e-related Developments on Cotton, chaired by 
Ambassador Vitalis, the Chair of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session, will take place 
back-to-back with the 25th Round, in the afternoon of the same day.  
 
The enclosed documents will form the basis for the 25th Round of Consultations of the 
Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton, which will be chaired by DDG David Shark on my 
behalf.   
 
        
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Roberto Azevêdo