TN/AG/SCC/W/46  
WT/CFMC/72  
 
26 July 2023  
(23-5080) Page: 1/25 
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 39TH ROUND OF THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK  
MECHANISM ON COTTON HELD ON 17 MAY 2023  
1  INTRODUCTION  
The 39th Round of the Director -General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on 
Cotton  (DGCFMC) took place on 17 May 2023 under the chairpersonship of  Deputy Director -General 
(DDG) Jean -Marie Paugam , on behalf of Director -General  Dr. Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala.  
The meeting was held in a hybrid format ( with in-person and virtual participation) and was 
attended by the Cotton -4 (C-4)1, other WTO  Members, releva nt partner organizations,  private 
sector,  and key experts from the global cotton community.  
2  WORLD COTTON DAY (WCD) 2023  
Mr. Frank Van Rompaey, Head of the Geneva Liaison Office of the United Nations Industrial 
Development Organization (UNIDO) , recalled that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution 
establishing 7 October as WCD specifically refers to UNIDO2. He also recalled UNIDO's active 
engagement and collaboration with partner organisations , notably the WTO and  the Food and 
Agriculture Organization of  the United Nations  (FAO) , during previous WCD celebrations.  
He announced that UNIDO will host this year's WCD celebrations on 4 October, at its 
headquarters in Vienna , under the theme "Making Sustainable Cotton Fair for All from Farm to 
Fashion". He clar ified that although the UNGA resolution refers to 7 October, this year's 
WCD celebrations would be held a few days earlier because 7 October is a Saturday.  
He reported that WCD celebrations would be in a hybrid format, comprising of several segments 
including a high -level plenary, a partners' conference, and technical side events. He encouraged 
in-person attendance considering  that travel restrictions due to the COVID -19 pandemic ha d been 
lifted, and concluded by inviting participants to contact his collea gue Jinjiang Yan, for additional 
information on participation, sponsorship, and technical matters . 
The Chair confirmed that the Director -General of the WTO would attend the WCD celebrations 
in-person. He thanked Mr. Rompaey and invited the C -4 to respond to the announcement by UNIDO, 
before making their official opening statement.  
The representative of Chad,  speaking on behalf of the co -sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on 
Cotton, the C -4 countries , Côte d'Ivoire and the 36 African countries that produc e and/or export 
cotton , thanked the Chair for his dedication and efforts to ensure that these countries are a ble to 
apply the necessary tools to promote the cotton value chain. He noted the importance of WCD as a 
valuable forum for discussion on best practices and the challenges faced by the cotton sector, and 
lauded the success of previous WCD celebrations and relevant activities .  
 
1 Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali. C ôte d'Ivoire is an observer member of the C -4. 
2 A/RES/75/318  of 1 September 2021.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He welcomed UNIDO's initiative  to host  the 2023 WCD  celebrations in accordance with 
the UNGA resolution , and reiterated the call to all partners (Members, UN agencies, civil society,  
private sector,  and international, regional, and non -governmental organizations) for the continued 
support of WCD with the aim of ensuring that it can become a true catalyst for development in Least 
Developed Countries (LDCs).  
He concluded by noting the importance  to cotton trade of the  proposed  theme for WCD  2023, 
"Making Sustainable Cotton Fair for All from Farm to Fashion", and invit ed UNIDO to emphasise, 
particularly because it is an industrial development institution, the importance of value addition, h ow 
to develop the cotton sector from a production perspective, and the links between industrial 
development and the transformation of the cotton sector.  
The representative of Mali  thanked the Chair and UNIDO. He welcomed UNIDO's announcement 
and endorsed the statement of Chad, the C -4 coordinat or. He stressed the importance of  local 
transformation to achieving the sustainable  development of  the cotton sector , and concluded by 
welcoming any initiative that would be  consistent with the objective of local value addition . 
The Chair thanked the C -4 for their interventions and reminded participants that value addition  
and transformation would be re-addressed later in the course of the meeting , under the  agenda item 
dedicated to cotton  projects. He then invited the C -4 coordinator to make his opening statement.  
3  STATEMENT BY THE C -4 COORDINATOR  
The representative of Chad  speaking on behalf of the co -sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative on 
Cotton, the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire and the 36 Africa n producers and /or exporters of cotton and cotton 
by-products , welcomed the 39th Series of Consultations under the DGCFMC against the backdrop of 
a difficult global context. He noted that the already fragile cotton sector in most of the C -4 countries 
has b een greatly impacted by various crises and reiterated his call for support to the efforts of LDCs, 
and specifically the C -4, for post -COVID  recovery and in the wake of these crises.  
He invited Members to implement the Hong Kong and Nairobi Ministerial Decisions  on cotton  
by granting specific attention to the cotton development -related aspects for the C -4. In the context 
of ongoing negotiations, he stressed the importance of reaffirming these previous Decisions and 
invited Members and development partners t o give full effect to them through the development and 
implementation of structural projects and programmes in LDCs , with the aim of drawing as much 
benefit as possible from cotton value chains for the benefit of the  C-4 populations, particularly for 
women  and young people.  
He recalled that the  draft action plan for the strengthening of development support for cotton 
by-products in LDCs encourages partners to support the implementation of structural projects and 
programmes on cotton by -products. He noted th e relevance of this advocacy to the implementation 
of the Cotton Roadmap Programme, which has been slower than expected after its first phase, 
following the completion of feasibility studies.  
He also welcomed the organisation of the  second  Partners' Conference  in July 2022 , which  
aimed at  encourag ing new partnerships and mobilis ing resources and technical expertise to support 
the implementation of projects linked to cotton in LDCs. He expressed the hope that these 
partnerships and partners' conferences wil l continue as the cotton sector in the C -4 and other LDCs 
had, more than ever, a real need for support by development partners , to find lasting solutions to  
persistent  concerns, and to build strong and resilient economies.  
He noted the C -4's satisfaction w ith the WTO -FIFA Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU) , 
which reflects the commitment of the WTO and FIFA to support the efforts of these countries to 
develop their cotton value chains, especially regarding the cotton -textile component  and support ing 
women's integration into this value chain, towards improving the competitiveness of the sector, and 
ultimately ensuring that cotton trade and its connections with the football industry can become a 
true driver for development.  
He added that to combat pov erty and ensure inclusive growth, the development of the cotton 
sector requires visibility, in terms of perspectives and solutions, which would ensure a viable TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  strategic vision to improve the cotton sector's competitiveness and ensure added value for both 
cotton fibre and cotton by -products from the C -4.  
He urged technical and financial partners to support efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting 
production, transformation at the domestic level, and the development of infrastructure in the cotton 
sector in the C -4. He appealed to all development partners, on a bilateral , regional , and multilateral 
level, to contribute to the implementation of the Regional Programme for Integrated Cotton 
Production in Africa (PR -PICA),  the Cotton Roadmap  Project , the Joint Initiative on the transfer of 
technology and knowledge to facilitate the development of cotton products, and  other national and 
international initiatives to promote C -4 cotton . 
He concluded by expressing the hope and reliance of the C -4 on the leadership of the 
Director -General of the WTO, who ha d already succeeded in ensuring that the DGCFMC can 
constructively support the development of LDCs.  
4  CURRENT SITUATION IN BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES AND IN THE GLOBAL MARKET  
Mr. Usman Kanwar, Head of Textiles  at the  International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) , 
delivered a presentation on "Textiles and Apparel in Sub-Saharan  Africa: Unlocking Potential, 
Overcoming Challenges".  
He noted that cotton is an important cash crop for many Sub-Saharan  African countries, servi ng 
as a significant export commodity and the main source of income from millions of small -scale 
farmers. However, despite the continent 's substantial cotton production, there is limited value 
addition to textile and apparel manufacturing and, according to ICAC's data, only about 15% of 
Africa's cotton production is processed locally, while the remaining 85% is exported in raw form to 
other countries for further processing.  
Quoting from the latest ICAC data book, he reported that cotton in Sub-Saharan  Africa  is 
primarily produced by small scale farmers whose average block size is approximately 1.87  hectares. 
During the 2021/2022 season, a total of 2.65 million farmers grew cotton in the region. In the 
2022/2023 season, the region produced over 1.6 million ton nes of cotton lint with an average yield 
of 341 kilograms per hectare, comprising less than half of the global average.  
He underscored that due to  minimal input costs and reduced reliance on fertilizers and 
agrochemicals , the Sub-Saharan  African region ho lds tremendous promise for achieving high and 
sustainable yields in cotton production. African cotton is more sustainable than cotton from any 
other region with 95% of African cotton being rainfed, and most African countries using less than 
50 kilogram s per hectare of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizer, and almost no 
pesticides.  
He added that a good starting point for  the development of a textiles and apparel value chain 
in Sub -Saharan Africa would be to leverage the advantages of African  cotton through value addition, 
including the blending of cotton with recycled raw materials (to produce textiles with mixed fibres).   
He noted  that crop yields were still low in Africa, with cotton yields the lowest in the world. 
This is partly due to soi l degradation , as most soils in Africa are acidic  with high bulk density , meaning 
they are less porous and more compact, with low cation exchange capacity (CEC). In other words,  
African  soils do not retain nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium  that can be 
exchanged for hydrogen through the plants'  roots. 
Recalling the region's export performance, he reported that i n 2021 /2022, the region exported 
approximately 1.6 million tonnes of cotton, accounting for about 16% of global cotton exports. 
During this period, Cô te d'Ivoire was the largest exporter in the region  with its cotton exports almost 
doubling from 138,000 tonnes in 2 017/2018 to 306,000 tonnes during the  2021/2022 season . In 
the same period, Benin exported 290,000 tonnes of cotton and Mali was the third largest exporter 
with 280,000 tonnes.  
He noted that all statistics show that the region plays a significant role in global cotton 
production, contributing approximately 7% of the world's annual cotton output. The major cotton 
producers in the region currently include Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Cameroon, and TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  Côte d'Ivoire. Together, these six countries account for 72% of total cotton production in 
Sub-Saharan Africa.  
He added that in 2021, there was a significant surge in global apparel and home textiles exports 
driven by robust consumer demand. The total export value of these products reached a staggering 
USD 597 billion, marking a notable 10% increase from 2020. The leading exporters in the sector 
continue to be China, the European Union, Bangladesh, Viet  Nam, India, and Türkiye , which 
collectively hold an impressive 80% of the global market share.  
However, ov er the years, there has been a growing interest from textile and apparel 
companies around the world in Sub-Saharan  African countries, which are now considered promising 
destinations for sourcing textile and apparel products. In 2021, exports of apparel and home textile 
products from Sub -Saharan African countries, rebounded strongly from the  COVID -19 pandemic 
reaching USD 2.9 billion, the highest number since 2014, surpassing the USD 2.4 billion record 
in 2020.  
He attributed this growth in interest to the re markably dynamic and growing labour force in 
the region. Projections by the United Nations indicate that the population in the region is expected 
to increase from 1.17 billion today to 2.11 billion by 2050; a n average net increase of about 
23 million per y ear.  
He explained that one of the major challenges for the region's textile industry is competition 
from imported second hand clothing from developed economies. The  import value of second -hand 
clothing increased fivefold  between 2003 and 2021 , from USD 295 million to USD 1.37 billion.  
Despite its benefits to the African economy, such as job creation, the second -hand clothing industry 
also has negative effects , including  suppressing domestic textile and apparel production and 
environmental challenges. Many second -hand garments that are produced from synthetic fibres 
ultimately end up in landfills , contributing to environmental pollution.  
Using India as a reference, he noted that i t is possible to estimate that if all cotton producing 
countri es in the region fully developed the ir textile and apparel industr ies, it could result in a more 
than sixfold increase in job opportunities , providing  potential employment for over  6.4 million people.  
He explained that the value of a product increases as i t progresses through the value chain. 
For instance, depending on factors like material , quality, fibre type and finishing techniques , when 
fabric is processed into apparel, its value can potentially multiply by approximately 15 times or more.  
Therefore, hi gher exports of finished textiles and apparel would increase export revenue for African 
countries and reduce their reliance on foreign countries for finished products.  
Using examples from other cotton -producing developing countries such as Bangladesh and 
Vietnam, he stressed the importance of preference schemes such as the African Growth and 
Opportunities Act (AGOA), the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) , Everythin g but Arms  (EBA) 
and Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union (EPAs) that allow African countries 
to export their textile product s to these markets without any import tariffs . He emphasised that the 
EPAs offer permanent market access to the EU, with no expiration date , which  provides local and 
foreign investors with the long -term stability they need to make investments.  
He noted that the textiles value chain is very complex and volatile, and dominated by China 
in terms of exports and allied i ndustries such as machinery, manufacturing, dyes , chemicals, and 
related  facilities. This dependence on a single country raises concerns for the sector in light of the 
COVID -19 pandemic and the current geopolitical context .  
For this reason, large  retailer s and brands are considering near sourcing as an alternative . 
Near sourcing offer s benefits like lower transportation costs, faster deliveries, quality control and 
regional trade. Ultimately, it is difficult to predict how this trend will evolve over time  and the shift 
towards near sourcing will depend on economic , political, and environmental factors such as  labour 
costs, infrastructure , and regulations.  
He pointed out that there are three models available for the development of a textiles value 
chain . The first is to take advantage of homegrown cotton and then move downstream . The second 
is a bottom -up model , which involves using the market access available in developed countries , TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  import ing finished fabrics for export, and thereafter  develop ing upstream values . The third involve s 
pursuing both the first and second models simultaneously.   
He, however, stressed that the first step should be  to draft a textile  vision or policy whose 
primary aim is to lay the groundwork for attracting domestic and foreign investmen ts, to pr omote 
the establishment of an export -oriented textiles value  chain  based on the government's priorities  
and with the aim of making the industry self -reliant.  
Consequently, the main focus of the policy would be converting  raw materials into v alue added 
products , increas ing the  productivity  of the industry  and quality  of the products . The essential topics 
in the textile polic y would be the  government 's intent for long- and short -term investment 
facilitation, temporary importation schemes, drawb acks, availability of water and power, import 
tariffs , infrastructure such as special economic zones, efficient service delivery, support in 
marketing, training, and improving productivity .  
The policy should prioritize  sustainability , including traceability , transparency , and a relevant 
regulatory regime for  social  and environmental compliance. It should also consider related policies 
that have a direct link with the development of the textile value chain such as those on trade and 
industrial investment , tariffs,  and monetary policies.  
He concluded by noting that although some African countries such as Lesotho and Ethiopia 
have made strides towards value addition and developing their textiles and apparel industries, 
Sub-Saharan  African countries need to work together and work with international partners to 
develop the necessary infrastructure , policies, and regulations to enable the sector  to thrive. To this 
end, ICAC  and other NGOs  are able and willing to  provide recommendations and work with African 
government s to draft a long -term plan for developing their t extile and apparel value chain s. 
The Chair thanked ICAC for their remarkably detailed presentation . He noted the intriguing 
issue of second -hand clothing swamping the African market and opened the floor for questions and 
comments.  
The representative of Be nin thanked ICAC for the presentation, which showed how important 
it is to support the C -4 countries in transforming cotton through value addition rather than exporting 
raw lint. He added that to do this, t hese countries need help to invest in  cheaper  energy. 
The representative of China  thanked ICAC for the presentation , which showed how important 
the textile and apparel industry is to value addition in the region and globally. He inquired on the 
challenges for Sub-Saharan  Africa in the textile and apparel industry, in terms of cotton production 
and the quality required for the textile and apparel industries. He noted that this information would 
be a good reference for future cooperation work among Members, particularly with the C -4 and other 
Members in Sub-Saharan  Africa.  
Mr. Kanwar  responded by highlighting the approach of Bangladesh to developing their textile 
industry in the 1970s, which included the establishment of a dedicated textiles industry and a 
long-term policy aimed at attracting foreign investment in the sector. The resulting foreign 
investment led to several developments in the country, including energy infrastructure.  
He therefore recalled the appeal to African countries to devise a long -term pla n, in the form 
of a textile vision or policy, and establish a dedicated ministry to serve as a focal point  for the 
implementation of the vision or policy. He added that although the region has a lot of potential , 
investor s require consistenc y in a country' s policies, including energy policies, and in its short- and 
long-term financials.  
He concluded his response by reiterating ICAC's availability and willingness to assist countries 
to devise a long -term plan for attract ing domestic and foreign direct inves tment  in the textiles and 
apparel industry . 
The representative of the European Union  thanked ICAC for the very useful presentation. He 
recalled the dominance or preponderance of smallholder farmers  in Sub -Saharan Africa as an 
important consideration to bea r in mind .  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He asked ICAC to clarify whether there is an increase of 180 times  in value  between raw 
cotton and the finished, branded, product or i f the applicable factor  was 15. 
Noting that value addition and industrialization are crucial aspects of a development strategy , 
he asked ICAC to explain the basis of its estimate of 6 million jobs and how this figure was calculated.  
He also noted existing cooperation between the European Union and African partners, 
particularly regarding the textiles and apparel industry, and expressed his gratitude to Mr. Kanwar 
for mentioning the EBA, EPAs and AGOA .  
He confirmed that the EBA and EPAs have no expiration date  and recalled that when  the then 
European T rade Commissioner,  Mr. Pascal Lamy , established the EBA  system he was very clear that 
it is not a scheme to be granted , withdrawn, and modified at will , as the underlying rationale of th e 
free market  access granted to LDCs under this scheme  was one of permanence .  
He concluded by adding that although it is less obvious because the EBA was  a unilateral  
trade measure, it  was one that very much ha d the ambition of providing  the kind of  predictability to 
investors that Mr. Kanwar referred to in his presentation.  
Mr. Ka nwar noted that the preferential market access provided to Bangladesh under the  GSP 
was instrumental to the development of its textile and apparel industry. He added that countries 
with access to preferences under both the GSP and EBA have a competitive ad vantage of 
approximately 10% and urged African countries to utilize these preferential schemes to attract 
domestic and foreign investment.  
He also clarified that due to the complexity of the textiles value chain, the methodology is 
based on a country exam ple in which value addition of raw cotton created five jobs.  
The representative of Benin  recalled an issue that Mr. Kanwar raised several times, which is 
the need for Sub-Saharan  countries to work together to develop the cotton value chain.  He noted  
that, in this regard,  the C-4 develop ed the cotton ro admap  project to attract investment in the 
sector, but were facing hurdles for obtaining financing for the project. He sought Mr. Kanwar's 
insights on this, as the Cotton Roadmap Project was a collaborative e ffort by the C -4 to develop 
their textile and apparel value chains.  
The representative of Chad  thanked ICAC for an interesting presentation and recalled several 
relevant points from the presentation , particularly on the sustainability of African cotton and the use 
of recycled material  for value addition. He agreed that African cotton has undeniable comparative 
advantages  due to the excellent quality of the  fibre, the climate, and the fact that African cotton 
requires less water.  
He noted that Côte d'Ivoire's progress in  developing its cotton sector is positive  and that the 
region's percentage share of 16% of global cotton exports  will continue to grow .  
Recalling that the cost of inputs has increased o ver the past few years  and the corresponding 
impact on production and exports , he asked whether ICAC  has measured the impact of the cost of 
inputs on production and exports .  
He emphasized the economic and environmental challenges posed by second hand clot hing 
to LDCs, and particularly the C -4. Due to the affordability of second -hand clothing, and local 
populations reduced purchasing power, new textiles and apparel are unable to compete with second 
hand clothing in domestic markets.  
He echoed the statement of the representative of Benin and the ne ed to develop the cotton 
sector with structural projects through  the cotton roadmap , which would  lead to a reduction in used 
garments and give locals  the ability to buy new domestically produced garments.  
He concluded by asking ICAC how the C -4 could reconcile this reality and enable locals' access 
to domestically produced textiles, while reducing the proliferation of second -hand clothing in their 
markets.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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Mr. Kanwar  thanked the delegates for their questio ns and keen interest in ICAC's 
presentation. Addressing the question on cotton pricing, he clarified that although he did not have 
the specific numbers on hand, he is aware that African farmers receive the least returns, compared 
with the global average of  about USD 1 ,600 per tonne. In addition, the price of African cotton fell 
from USD 160 cents per pound last year to USD  90 cents per poun d currently.  
He explained that this disparity is due to limited value addition, as the cotton exporter is the 
only buy er for African cotton. He added that one of the benefits of developing the textile industry is 
improved competition in the form of more buyers, which would provide farmers with better prices 
for their cotton.  
He further noted that whenever there is an inc rease in input prices and the cost of production, 
the farmer bears the burden, resulting in a drop in yields. Th e cotton yield in African countries is 
around  340 kilogram s per hectare , which  is nearly half of the global  average of over 700 kilogram s 
per he ctare.  
He acknowledged the challenge of addressing the issue of second -hand clothing and cited the 
example of Pakistan in stating that it is possible to resolve this problem, for example through 
garneting, which is a recycling process that involves the sep aration and reprocessing of fibres from 
fabrics and textiles for reuse in textile manufacturing.   
Regarding financing, he noted that different countries use different models. India, for 
example, has used the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) since 1999. He added that two 
kinds of financing  are required; short-term financing for the purchase of raw materials and long -
term financing for capacity building.   
He concluded by noting that although there are different models and best practices available 
to learn from, investors are generally interested in the long -term continuity of the financing models 
or schemes used by countries.  
The Chair thanked the representative of ICAC for the informative presentation and  invited 
delegations to continue the dialogue with the relevant consultative committee. Regarding plastic 
pollution, he drew the C -4's attention to the fact that the Trade and  Environment Division of the 
WTO has undertaken a great deal of work on combating plastic pollution in the context  of the 
WTO Dialogue on Plastic Pollution , an initiative  that is  being led by several  Members.  
He concluded this agenda item by inviting the focal points of the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire to 
share updates on the state of cotton markets in their countries.  
5  DOME STIC COTTON SECTOR AND OTHER REFORMS  – UPDATES FROM NATIONAL 
COTTON FOCAL POINTS  
Mr. Emmanuel Sekloka, the Director of the Cotton Research Institute in Benin , thanked the 
Chair and informed Members that his presentation would be based on information from t he member 
countries of the PR-PICA, on the current infestation of Jassids affecting Western and Central African 
cotton producing countries.  
Jassids typically attack cotton plants at the end of the production cycle, by biting into the leaves 
and sucking ou t the liquid. Recently, a new invasive species of Jassids called Amarasca Bigutula has 
become more aggressive, appearing earlier in the cotton cycle, and causing a loss between 30% 
and 50% of their 2022 production.  
The most severely affected countries wer e Mali, Burkina  Faso,  Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo  
while Benin,  Chad and Cameroon  have been impacted to a lesser extent.  He, however, pointed out  
that the countries in which  the attacks were the most severe are not necessarily those in which the  
losses in yields were most significant.   
He also noted that, due to a shortfall of about 40% to 50% between projected and realised 
yields, many cotton producers in the region are in debt. As a result,  the affected  countries have had 
to provide subsidies to producers to enable them to continue growing  cotton  during  the next seasons.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  He stressed that Jassids also attack other plants, including aubergines and soy, and are a threat to 
food security as well as the cotton sector.  
Regarding treatment, he noted t he use of higher doses of existing pesticides, ongoing efforts 
to explore new and more effective alternatives, and support to producers to implement climate 
change mitigation measures.  
He recommended an integrate d approach to the Jassids pest control meas ures that considers 
the cotton sector, climate change mitigation and  food security in the context of sectors such as fruit 
and vegetables, grains, and oil.  He also highlighted the need to increase producers' capacity to use 
traps and effectively use organi c fertiliser, as properly fertilised plants were observed to be relatively 
more resistant to the pests.  
He emphasised the need for early warning systems to prevent future infestations and  asked 
the WTO Secretariat to consider funding this project. He conc luded by noting that Côte d'Ivoire uses 
an early warning tool, and it would be interesting to see whether its use could be expanded to the 
other member countries of PR-PICA.  
The cotton focal point from Mali  thanked the WTO and partners for organising and u ndertaking 
the 39th session of the DGCFMC. He confirmed that in preparation for the 39th session, the Malian 
government has updated its table on domestic reforms in the cotton sector including regarding the 
transfer of the Malian company for textiles and c otton (CMDT), the treatment of cotton  and other 
aspects of the sector. He also noted that r esilience measures aimed at counter ing the effects of 
sanctions on Mali have significantly increased .  
He reported that the 2022/202 3 season  had been characterised b y several  multi-dimensional 
difficulties affecting  the cotton value chain , in addition to other challenges  that have been 
experienced  throughout the cotton sector.  
In order to ensure the success of the cotton sector, the Malian government provided  subsidi es 
for fertilisers  to the tune of 5 billion CFA francs from  2019-2022. In May 2023, the Malian 
government  sought to implement similar  programmes to the tune of 4 billion  francs CFA .  
The government has  launch ed several  programmes regarding CMDT and phytosanitary 
protection and is working toward implementing specific provisions for new products. To this end, 
Mali organised a conference for the PR -PICA in Lomé on 14th and 19th November 2022.  
In addition, the government h ad fixed cotton prices at an unprecedented five francs CFA per 
kilogram of seed cotton, provided subsidies for principal fertilisers at 11,000 francs CFA for 
50 kilograms of cotton, and established a transitionary office aimed at facilitating transparent 
elections.  
He explained that following a decree in October 2022 that articulated the modalities of the 
transfer of the CMDT, and the subsequent institutional changes within CMDT in line with 
the 2023/2024 programme, Mali had experienced higher levels of del ivery regarding agricultural 
inputs during the current cotton season.  
Mali had also implemented financial measures to address existing challenges, and assessed 
the damage caused by the massive  Jassids  infestations and floods . The cost of the inputs used o n 
areas affected by the infestation and floods  would be covered with credit.  
In terms of resilience measures, Mali was working towards improving  efficiency and the 
performance of fibre transits.  The CEO of CMDT had been working to improve  cooperation with 
authorities from the different ports of transit for Malian cotton , to strengthen partnerships and 
regarding the sharing of efforts  and implementation of measures  to reduce transit costs.  
Further investments had been made in CMDT to increase its capacity f or cotton milling and 
storage, including the construction of a new factory in Kokofata, which has resolve d the significant 
challenge of under -capacity for cotton milling , and the construction of two storage facilities in San 
Pedro and Kotouba, respectively.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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In the context of an expected production of 780,000 tonnes of seed cotton, CMDT had 
eighteen milling factories with a capacity of 645,000 tonnes. The Kokofata factory alone had a 
capacity of 50,000 tonnes and provided 150 jobs.  
In addition, the construction of a new facility at the autonomous port of San Pedro to ensure 
that cotton from the warehouses would be ready for freight began in January 2023 and was curr ently 
ongoing. This project costed approximately 4.858 billion francs CFA.  
The cotton focal point from Burkina Faso  reported that the country was aware of the strategic 
role of cotton  in its national economy,  and for this reason, the government continues t o pursue 
reforms in the sector to ensure the sustainable development of the industry , and valorisation  of 
cotton.   
The actions undertaken  to this end  predominantly relate d to the renewal of the agreement 
that relates to the cotton industry , a process that has been ongoing since  2022. The protocol 
agreement is expected to  enter into force by the harvest season, enabling the country  to adapt its 
regulatory framework for the improved functioning of the cotton industry, and to address current 
and future challen ges.  
The second area of reform related to the creation of a strategic plan for the cotton value chain 
in Burkina Faso. This process has also been ongoing since  2022 and is expected to  be finalised this 
year. She explained that the strategic plan is  a refe rence document that will enable  the country  to 
ensure the development of a better cotton value chain.  
The third project  relate d to the adoption , in 2023, of a decree to promote  cocoa and  other  
traditional sectors, with the aim of boosting production and l ocal consumption of  cotton and fabrics 
made in Burkina  Faso, and  creating more jobs for young people and women.  
The fourth project relate d to the end of the cotton harvest during the 20 22/2023 season, 
which was characterised by an exceptional rise in the prices  of maritime f reight and stocks of 
fertilisers. Given that this international situation  could endanger the harvest , Burkina Faso  supported 
various stakeholders to improve  the accessibility of the prices of cotton fertiliser .  
She recalled, as men tioned in the presentation by Benin, that the 2022/2023 season was  
characterised by massive infestations of a new pest called Jassids, which has caused major damage 
and led to a drop in both cotton production and revenue.  
She noted that the season was als o characterised by degradation in the security situation, 
leading to some people to move away from arable land. She added that additional challenges 
encountered by cotton producers during this period related to the receipt and payment of revenues, 
and lack  of optimal infrastructure for ginning and storage of cotton fibre.  
Regarding prospects for a good cotton harvest, she reported that in March 2023, the 
government adopted a decree declaring the new Jassids species, Amarasca Bigutul a, as a scourge 
to agriculture and authoriz ing the importation and  use of special pesticides against this pest.  
She added that the government has taken steps to secure the national territory , to enable 
producers and cotton companies to safeguard  their production .  
She also noted  that discussions are underway with all of the stakeholders in the cotton  
industry to fix certain prices of cotton seed s and the price of inputs for producers. She stated that 
this is an opportunity to commend to the resilience of the stakeholders in the c ountry's  cotton 
industry, as well as  in the C -4 and  Côte d'Ivoire generally .  
She concluded with an appeal to development partners to provide  tangible support and roll 
out projects for the C -4 on cotton and other key areas for their countries .  
The cotton focal point  of Côte d'Ivoire  commend ed the C -4 and the  DGCFMC , and expressed 
his gratitude to the Director -General of the WTO and DDG Jean -Marie Paugam, for their tireless 
efforts on cotton. He also thanked the WTO Secretariat and all partners for t heir support to develop 
the cotton industry.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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 He recalled that  cotton plays a key role in the economic and social conditions in the country , 
as it is a primary  source of revenue  for agriculture a nd other areas of the country. He reported that 
since the ref orms undertak en in 2013,  the government has tirelessly undertaken efforts to increase 
the performance of the industry .  
He explained that these efforts  include reinforcing the (governance ) framework for the cotton 
industry, through the creation of a cotton  council and undertak ing dialogue with various stakeholders 
in all segments of the cotton industry . The government  had also made  efforts to increase the quality 
of the sector by improving  specific processes , such as spinning, and  sustainably promoting and 
developing the industry.  
He noted that the under this framework, the government had launched various initiatives , 
inter alia,  to facilitate  the implementation of specific programmes , to improve distribution and other 
areas , such as creating exclusive zone s of activity  so that each cotton enterprise is set up  with certain 
agreements.  
Transparency was being promoted, including regarding the fixing of prices for producers and 
through the implementation of a mechanism to identify producers, and ensure traceability of both 
the physical and financial flows up to export and financing. C ôte d'Ivoire had also implemented a 
classification system for cotton fibre, in collaboration with a partner organisation. As a result of these 
reforms, cotton production of cotton has improved and yields have reached record amounts, with an 
increase of 14% compared to the 2020 harvest.  
He added that t he cotton industry represent ed a significant  percentage of country's revenu e 
and GDP and despite its improved performance, the industry continue d to be confronted with crises 
and challenges that undermine its sustainability.  
He specified that this predominantly related to the COVID -19 health crisis which led to a series 
of restrictive measures that have had a  major adverse impact  on the economy and reduced revenue 
for cotton producers. He also recalled the considerable damage to producers during the  2023 harvest  
due to  habitual attacks by Jassids pests.  At the end of the 20 22/20 23 harvest, the country  registered 
a significant dro p in production .  
The industry was also confronted with challenges  relating to  resilience and adaptability  to 
climate change , modernization , the use of new technologies , and the adaptation  of rural area s to 
the cultivation of cotton fibre and cotton seed.  
He concluded by emphasising that Côte d'Ivoire wa s willing to work with technical and 
financial partners  to properly resolve these challenges, support national efforts, raise  national 
production  to appropriate l evels per hectare , and to increase the profita bility and reliability of this 
industry that so many people in the country depend ed on. 
The Chair thanked all the cotton focal points for their statements and noted that several 
delegates mentioned the issue of the Jassids infestation. He thanked Mr. Bloukounon of the FAO for 
his attendance to the meeting and invited him to address this issue.  
Mr. Ad in Y. Bloukounon, Agricultural Officer at the West Africa sub -regional office of the FAO , 
congratulated the presenters of the various countries of West and Central Africa for the quality of 
the discussion .  
In response to a question raised by the represent ative of China , he highlighted three 
challenges facing cotton production in Sub-Saharan  Africa.  First, the climate in the region  was 
favourable to pests , which  caused drops in production of 25% to 30%. In addition , particularly West 
Africa, the seed system  is not well organised . There is a shortage of quality seeds and proper 
infrastructure for seed storage.  
He noted that although West Africa n countries would like  to increase their production  base,  
on average , most countries are below 1 tonne , except  Benin  and Cameroon which are slightly higher 
at 1.2 tonnes.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He explained that there is a farmer related challenge to the pest infestations as, due to the 
lack of a clear programme o f rural agricultural integration in the system of cotton production , 
the FAO is  increasingly observing the presence of pests that  affect  soil fertility . He underscored that, 
related to this, is the challenge  of insufficient technical capacity and lack of adequate training of 
cotton producers.  
The appearance of a new species of Jassids pests, Amarasca Bigutula, that was never before 
present in West Africa and w as imported from the east has resulted in significant damage. Recent 
studies carried out in the West African sub-region in December 2022  demonstrated that up to 100% 
of the Jassids in the cotton fields were of the Amarasca Bigutula species . However, similar  studies 
in October 2022  showed that only 50% of the Jassids were of the Amarasca Bigutula  species, 
although  they affected 100% of the c otton fields.  
He explained that prior to the proliferation of the new species of Jassids, West African cotton 
did not have any predatory species of parasites. Furthermore, when a new species, in this case the 
Amarasca Bigutula , establishes itself in the c otton fields, the competition between the new species 
and other species of Jassids pests causes one species to be more dominant.   
The FAO expected that the new species would  also invade Central Africa . Recent  studies ha d 
demonstrated that Camer oon ha d already been attacked to a lesser degree .  
Although s tudies ha d shown that  some measures were effective in combating the species , 
West Africa  did not have a n adequate  biological programme to address them, as the region did not 
anticipate challenges related to such pests .  
The FAO, in particular, was working with partners t o develop a n integrated programme to 
address the infestation by the new Jassids species, a nd had a dedicated research centre for th at 
purpose .  
Since October 2022, none of the affected countries had found an effective method of dealing 
with the Jassids and there were limited statistics available on how this issue had been addressed 
across the region. For this reason, a study to obtain statistics o n this issue was underway in 
four countries in the West African sub -region; Senegal, C ôte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, 
and Mali.  
The FAO had also launched a risk analysis for the upcoming harvest for all of the affected 
countries , including the C -4 and Togo . The risk analysis would have been published soon and 
included estimates and other  statistics on the zones  that are  at the highest risk of being attacked by 
pests.   
The FAO was also organising a  general workshop  to be held from the 3rd to the 6th of June  2023 
to develop a n integrated management guide for the new Jassids  pest. All the relevant researchers 
and research centres in the region have been involved in organising the workshop, and invitation 
letters had been sent to the various ministries in the regio n.  
The workshop and guide were triggered by the observation that affected countries were 
focusing on insecticides, which have  environmental risks.  An integrated approach is therefore 
necessary to ensure effective pest management of the Jassids with minima l environmental effects.  
The FAO was also  conducting capacity building  and has prepared several training sessions 
before the next cotton season. The sessions will explore, among other topics, the efficient use of  
fertilisers and organic pesticides , as some  organic pesticides have been observed to be effective 
against Jassids.  
He concluded by thanking the Chair for the opportunity to share the FAO's perspective on the 
Jassids problem and inviting all partners, including the  WTO, to  assist with the implementation of  
the aforementioned  initiatives  and resource mobilisation . 
The re presentative of the United States of America  thanked all the speakers fo r their 
interventions under this agenda item.  He noted  that cotton is a vital crop to the livelihoods of farmers TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  throughout Africa and the developing world, particularly in these chall enging times when much of 
the world's cotton production  is being impacted by climate change.  
He expressed the United States ' gratitude to DDG Paugam for participating in events that the 
United States hosted in Washington DC  the previous week,  related to its joint venture with the 
United Arab Emirates called "The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate ", also known as  
"AIM for C".  
AIM for C  had secured more than USD 13 billion in public and private investments, and 
although  the initiative was focused on food crops and addressing food security , the ideas, and 
activities it generate d, such as increasing agricultur al productivity, adapting, and building resilience,  
reducing, and removing greenhouse gas emissions , may also be applied to cotton.  
He noted that several African countries, including the African Union Commission, have joined 
AIM for C as members of the coalition . On behalf of the A4C coalition, he invited the C-4 to consider 
joining as well.  
He concluded by mentioning that i nformation on how to join  AIM for C , and on the ideas and 
research generated by AIM for C , was available to the public  through  an international climate hub 
website launched the previous  week by the US Department of Agriculture , at 
www.climatehubs .usda.gov.  
The Chair thanked all the delegations that took the floor and concluded this agenda item by 
inviting the FAO representative to update on progress and actions undertaken on Jassid 
in West Africa at the next DGCFMC meeting .  
6  UPDATES TO THE DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S EVOLVING  TABLE ON COTTON DEVELOPMENT 
ASSISTANCE  
The Chair invited the Secretariat to introduce the latest updates  to the  evolving table . 
Mr. Fabrizio Meliad ò of the Agriculture and Commodities Division  mentioned that the latest 
revision  of the evolving table ( WT/CFMC/6/Rev.34 ) was distributed to Members at the beginning of 
May 2023 . Providing an overview of its general structure, he explained that Part I include d updates 
on ongoing cotton -specific projects  while Part II contain ed a list of active projects related to the  
cotton sector, addressing agriculture and infrastructure -related support .  
Part III contain ed the names and contact details of cotton sector focal points in the beneficiary 
countries , and Part IV contains a list of project proposals submitted by beneficiary countries to 
the WTO for distribution across the Secretariat's network of development coope ration partners who 
gravitate across the Secretariat's work on cotton.  
Annexes 1 and 2 were useful statistical tools because they contained information on completed 
projects, including a summary of the totals of those projects in terms of, among others, 
commitments, and disbursements.  
He reported that the Secretariat had received notifications from several Members and 
development cooperation partners and highlighted the notification of two new projects by the 
delegation of France, and two new projects by t he delegation of the Netherlands under Part I of the 
evolving table.  
Part I also included updated information on disbursements by the delegations of Brazil and 
France. In addition, two projects that were notified as completed by the delegation of France h ad 
been moved from Part I to Annex 1.  
Part II of the evolving table included updates from Japan on disbursements, commitments, and 
the operational status of ongoing projects. Following notifications from Japan about the completion 
of six projects, these pr ojects were moved to Annex 2.  
He noted that the current revision of the evolving table showed an increase in committed 
amounts from USD 225 million to USD 277 million, and concluded by inviting Members and TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  participants to consider the comparison tables in  the Secretariat's presentation, which described the 
trends over the past seven revisions of the evolving table over the last two and a half years, including 
changes in commitments, disbursements, and the ratio of disbursement and commitments.  
The Chair thanked the Secretariat for the updates and opened the floor to comments on the 
latest version of the evolving table.  
The representative of Benin  speaking on behalf of the co-sponsors of the sectoral  initiative  on 
cotton , the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire and the  36 African producers and exporters of cotton and cotton 
products , noted the 34th version of the evolving table on cotton development assistance and thank ed 
the Secretariat for updat ing it. 
He added that the C-4 welcomed the modest  increase in the number of cotton development 
projects  under Part I (from  29 to 31). He also noted the significant increase in the ratio of projects 
that were currently on-going,  to 41% from 32% in the previous revision, comprising  an increased  
total value of  commitments of  USD 277  million, from around USD  225 million in the previous version.  
He, h owever, regret ted that these positive trends ha d not yet been felt by Members.  Despite 
the increase in the  number of projects , the total value of specific development aid for cotton destined 
for the C -4 countries ha d not increased. In addition, t he total value of  C-4-specific aid  dropped 
from 20.56% in 2022 to 16.68% in the current version . 
He noted with concern the absence of financing for a round a  dozen  of development projects , 
including eight project s supporting agriculture and infrastructure development, which seem ed to be 
delayed by one to three years from the original completion dates .  
He expressed concern with a drop of 1.47% in the value of developme nt aid  for agriculture 
under Part II of the evolving table, from USD 2.07 billion in the previous version  to USD  2.04 billion 
currently . Similarly, the total commitments decreased to 28% from 29% in the previous version.   
He was also concerned that 11 proj ects presented by the C -4, Cameroon, and Burundi , had 
been awaiting technical assistance or financing to facilitate  their implementation for many years.  
He echoed t he call to action, which was signed during the second partners ' conference  that 
took place on 27th July 2022 , calling upon Members and multilateral organisations to engage 
additional technical and financial resources within the framework of the SDGs , and to allow 
developing countries, cotton producers and particular ly LDCs, to fully enjoy the possibilities offered 
to them  by cotton to improve the living standards of their population s, and create decent jobs that 
are both respectful of the environment and add value.  
He stressed that it was  extremely important for the C -4 to integrate the cotton roadmap 
project , which w ould allow them to have competitive , inclusive, and sustainable value chains that 
benefit the transformation of cotton fibre and bolster  local capacity within the sector.  
In conclusion, he expressed the C -4's hope that the next version  of the evolving table will 
show positive developments on the regional and national projects that were  currently awaiting 
financing.  
The Chair thanked the representative of Benin and noted that addressing the issue of 
disbur sements is one of the objectives of the DGCFMC, and one that warrants detail ed consideration.  
He added that although the Secretariat considered it fundamental to be able to respond to 
the question on disbursements, doing so was challenging as many project s were conceived bilaterally 
between beneficiaries  and donor s.  
Nonetheless, he indicated that this meeting could be very useful for preparation s for the next 
partners conference  and recalled the success of the previous partners' conference in July 2022, 
during which Afreximbank pledged USD 300,000  in grant -matching funds for the preparation of 
cotton  project s. These funds were still available although a minimal portion of the pledge was used 
for the work linked  to the MoU between the WTO and FIFA , which will be discussed later in the 
program.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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In conclusion, the Chair noted that the importance of the points rai sed the C -4 and gave the 
floor to the European Union.  
The representative  of the European Union  thanked the Chair and Secretariat for an excellent 
presentation. He noted that the pre
The Chair thanked the European Union and concluded th is agenda item by inviting the next 
presenter to discuss the new WTO e -learning course on cotton.  
7  PRESENTATION ON THE NEW E -LEARNING COURSE ON C OTTON  
Ms. Audrey Berthon  from the e-learning and technical cooperation department  of the  WTO 
noted that the  introductory course called " Cotton international trade and the WTO " is part of a series 
of e-learning courses on cotton within the WTO.   
There cour se has three principal objectives . The first , is to learn more about cotton and its 
value chain from fibre to fabric.  The second is to provide an overview of the global cotton market 
and the challenges it faces. The third is to understand the difficulties that African cotton producers 
and LDCs in particular face , to enable  them to properly benefit from free trade.   
The course has five modules: the first provides an  understanding of how cotton is used ; the 
second  is about cotton in international trade ; the third highlights  the difficulties faced by trad e in 
cotton ; the fourth explains why cotton is important for LDCs ; and the fifth explains  the role and the 
work of the WTO on cotton.   
The course begins and ends with a test in the form of multiple -choice questionnaires. The 
pre-test gauges  participants' prior knowledge and understanding of the  subject  while the post -test 
evaluates their understanding of the course material.  
The course is interactive, engaging the learner throughout  the pro cess, to improve motivation 
and enhance their understanding of the course material.  To this end, t here are several  different 
multimedia elements  in the course including  interactive maps , an animation that introduces  cotton , 
an animation on the cotton porta l, and audio recordings explain ing various schemes or more 
complicated concepts .  
The course also includes a summary that distils the important points that should be retained 
from the course . All participants will be granted a badge upon completion of the course material and 
post-test. However, participants who benefit from the technical assistance programme will receive 
a certificate  in addition to the badge if they score more than 60% in the post-test.  
The course is available on the new WTO e -learning pl atform, which was launched last 
December.  There are two ways to access the course  through the e -learning platform, either by TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  clicking on the bar at the top near the course  catalogue or by simply click ing on the "discover our 
courses " button at the bottom o f the screen.  
There are two categories of courses in the course catalogue, those providing general knowledge 
on the WTO and specialised courses providing in -depth knowledge on specific areas. To access the 
cotton course, participants should select the spe cialised courses category.  
The specialised courses  are classified  by topic . Upon selecting the agriculture topic, participants 
will be able to see the cotton course as well as an overview of its objectives and an introductory 
video. Participants can begin the course by clicking on the enter button.  
She concluded by informing pa rticipants that they would require log -in credentials to 
undertake the course, which could be obtained by registering on the e -learning platform.  
The representative of Benin  welcomed this initiative and thank ed the WTO Secretariat for 
creating it.  He note d that due to limited knowledge, cotton -producing countries do not have  high 
cotton production rates.  He added that development assistance  is helpful to this end, enabling the 
C-4 countries to access training such as the e -learning course.  
He asked what other  measures are being taken within the WTO for the C -4, and to enable the 
people in their countries to access and benefit from such courses .  
He reported that Benin has a  Cotton research project, which is an initiative of the Institute 
for Agronomy and a several  other organisations.  The research project is organising a masters  and 
doctorate programme on cotton production that are scheduled to begin in September 2023. He 
asked how the research project, and the WTO could work together and liaise with th e online course , 
to enable the online course to complement and benefit the masters and doctorate programmes.  
The Chair thanked the representative of Benin for his statement and closed  this agenda item.  
8  COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROJECTS : NEEDS AND PRIORITIES  
The Chair opened the floor for updates on  South -South Cooperation  and called upon Brazil, 
China and India  who traditionally usually provide these updates.  
The representative o f India  recalled that during the partners conference organised as part of 
the inaugural World Cotton Day  on 7th October  2019 in Geneva, the government of India announced 
the launch  of the second phase of a cotton  technical assistan ce programme  (tap). It wa s emphasised 
that the second phase of the tap w ill involve  scaling up to add five African countries , making a total 
of eleven  participating countries  i.e., Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, 
Tanzania,  Uganda  and Zambia.   
This program was supposed to run for five years , focusing on increasing cotton production, 
improving the post -harvest  waste and plan t-by-plant industr ies in participating countries , and  
building the capacity of the ir cotton -based textile sectors.  
He noted that the planned activities relating to the implementation of phase two of the tap,  
particularly identification of the areas requir ing intervention  under phase two, were affected by the  
COVID -19 pandemic.  
However, upon the completion of  consultations  between stakeholder s and  the Indian missions 
of the participating  countries  which were ongoing during the  week of the DGCFCMC, t he hiring and 
finalising of the terms of reference for the project management agencies will be done  and the project 
will be carried forward . 
The representative of China  noted that his statement would be divided in two parts; the first 
part would include remarks and ideas from the dedicated discussion held the previous day, and the 
second part would be specific to the current meeting.  
He recalled that China has always understood and supported  the demand s of the C -4 and other 
African cotton production countries.  It has always been committed to  serving the cotton program, TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  in in accordance with the Hong Kong ministerial  declaration, which has been emphasised in the 
previous statements by C-4 colleagues. Meanwhile, China's market has always been open to African  
cotton producing countries.  
As one of the major cotton production , consumption and import Members,  China fully 
understands  that c otton is a substantive industry in the C-4 and other African cotton producing  
countries, and is of significant importance to the livelihoods of their small -scale farmers , their 
economic  and social development.   
In this regard , China will collect and provide updates to the Secretariat on its investment and 
capacity building projects, b ased on the evolving  table and existing portals developed by ITC .  
Based on observations made during a visit to Burkina Faso with the Secretariat  and a former 
WTO's DDG, in 2020, he noted that besides the project demands listed in the evolving table, 
additional information on the current challenges of cotton producing countries is needed  to enhance 
the understanding of collaborating partners and fa cilitate the formulation of new collaboration 
programmes. He added that additional cooperation opportunities observed during his visit to 
Burkina  Faso included the improvement of cotton quality  and grading .  
Regarding market access, he recalled a suggestio n made by China in previous meetings, of 
increasing imports of African cotton to improve the production demands  of these countries, as well 
as the livelihoods and incomes of African cotton farmers.  
He noted that China could increase African cotton imports fairly quickly. In the last two years, 
China's imports of African agricultur al products  increased by 11.4%  and in 2022, the value of African 
cotton export s to China  increased by 21%.  
Highlighting developments on south -south cooperation since 2020, he note d that China 
continued to promote south -south cooperation i n Uganda and Madagascar  where, i n 2022, China  
launched a third phase of a cotton technical cooperation project . The project was planned to last for 
three years, and China ha d arranged for seven cotton experts from Beijing to provide  on-site and 
video training session s.  
During this period, China also provided the necessary agricultural input materials and 
supporting infrastructure, such as seed storage facilities, to  enhance the cotton  production capacity  
of these countries .  
In 2022, China carried out two  training programmes on cotton production and processing  
which were attended by  more than 40 officials and cotton technicians in three African countries, 
including Benin and Rw anda.  
China had establish ed cotton technology demonstration project s and provided seed s, 
fertilisers, and pesticides which, as mentioned by the previous speaker from FAO, addressed  the 
critical challenges of production and quality control.  China has also provided,  machinery , equipment , 
and e xpert guidance , establishing several technology demonstration products in Benin and  Chad for 
the benefit of local cotton farmers and cotton processing enterprises.  
In addition, i n the last few years, some Chinese enterp rises had invested more than 
USD 500,000 in setting up joint venture s of wholly  Chinese owned enterprises to promote cotton 
production and processing in Mali, Benin , Mozambique, Zambia, Sudan Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria 
and Côte d'Ivoire . These investments had benefitted over  200,000 families and more than a million  
individuals .  
He noted that there were several of the 11 projects listed  in the evolving table in which China 
was very interested, particularly regarding  research labs , quality , and seed improvements, because 
the COVID -19 pandemic prevented the Chinese expert team from visiting partner countries and 
conducting  feasibility stud ies. In conclusion, he added that China would discuss these projects 
bilaterally with colleagues from th e C-4.  
The Chair thanked China for its statement and the expression of interest mentioned at the 
end of the statement, and gave the floor to Burkina Faso.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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The representative of Burkina Faso  thanked the Chair o n behalf of the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire 
for hav ing put this critical issue on the agenda of the 39th series of the DGCFMC . She noted that the 
C-4 had closely followed the various statements by the South -South  partner s describ ing the 
initiatives and projects to be undertaken by development members in the framework of south-south 
cooperation.  
She thanked the south -south partners for their commitment to develop ing the cotton sector 
in the C-4 and other cotton producing and exporting develop ing countries, particular ly LDCs , despite 
the very delicate international situation.  
She underscored that the projects stemming from south -south cooperation  have produced 
tangible results and contributed t o improv ing the living conditions of their populations . For this 
reason, the C -4 welcome the efforts already undertaken and encourage partners to continue along 
these lines .  
She added that to facilitate more robust  support to  the development of cotton value chains , 
the partnership  should be more ambitious and pragmatic in nature, focusing on fina ncing structural 
projects , implementing private and public investment , facilitating regular e xchange s of knowledge, 
experience and best practi ces, and technology transfer.  
The C -4 trust th e potential of  south -south partnerships to bring a new momentum int o the 
cotton sector and foster an increase in production , yields , and particularly  the capacity  for industrial 
processing and transformation , including artisanal transformation, in the C -4 and other cotton 
producing countries.  
She emphasised that t he cotto n sector, which is the main source of revenue for large -scale 
rural populations, must also contribute solutions to challenges related to women and youth. In this 
regard , she reiterated the call to reinforce both south -south and north -south  cooperation.  
She concluded by calling upon south -south partners to heed this call and join the efforts 
already undertaken in the framework of supporting development projects for cotton and cotton 
by-products.  
The representative of Chad  noted that the programme was runnin g behind schedule and asked 
the Secretariat to the share their statement on this agenda item with Members and delegates.  
The Chair thanked the representatives of Burkina Faso and Chad, confirmed that the 
Secretariat would share Chad's statement with Member s and delegates, and concluded this agenda 
item.  
9  FIFA -WTO MOU – COTTON CHAPTER: PRESENTATION OF A PROJECT PLAN BY FIFA, 
WTO, UNIDO, ITC AND AFREXIMBANK  
The Chair introduced this as the final agenda item and gave the floor to the speakers : 
Ambassador Stephen Fevrier, Senior Advisor to the Director -General of the WTO and 
Ms. Céline  Zigaul, the FIFA Development Program Manager for Africa.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  thanked the C -4 for the deep interest they have demonstrated in the joint 
undertaking between the WTO and FIFA, which represents an important development on the 
WTO cotton file. He added that this initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with UNIDO, 
ITC and Afreximbank. He noted that these partners are collectively referred to as the stee ring 
committee.  
 Introducing the joint undertaking in support of sustainable cotton production and value 
addition in the C -4, he recalled its genesis as a meeting between the Director -General of the WTO,  
Dr. Ngozi , and P resident of FIFA , Gianni Infantino,  on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of 
Government meeting last year in Kigali , during which t he two leaders agreed to explore areas of 
cooperation between the WTO and FIFA .  
He noted that although the connection between football and international tra de is not always 
immediately clear , one area that was agreed on was the need to explore how the WTO and FIFA can TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  help to connect the C-4 countries to the global sports apparel sector. This mutual understanding 
between the two organisations was reduced to w riting in the form of a n MoU in September 2022 .  
He added that th e initiative is still a long way from achieving this result and expressed the 
hope that its efforts will lead to value addition, value creation and industrialization in the C -4.  
Ms. Céline Z igaul recalled the initiative's aim of connect ing the global football economy, 
including the different competition s facilitated by  FIFA, to the production of sports apparel and 
exploring how to connect the African cotton sector with the global football eco nomy and with different 
international markets . 
Ambassador  Fevrier  recalled the presentation by ICAC, which demonstrated the increase in 
returns to be gained as products move up the value chain. He explained that the potential and 
opportunities presented by the value of the global football economy underpin the WTO -FIFA 
partnership.  The total value of output from goods , services , and intellectual property is over USD 
200 billion annually  and is expected to grow to USD 271 billion by 2030. The football sportswear 
market alone is worth over USD 82 billion, and is expected to  grow to USD 114 billion by 2028.  
Further recalling the current condition of the cotton sector in Africa , he noted that  the region  
currently exports 90% of its raw cotton and is a net importer of cotton fibre and yarn. He noted that 
as pointed out by ICAC , only 15% of African cotton production benefited from value addition  and it 
is clear that the export potential of the C-4 can be improved by scaling and increasing value addition , 
and supporting global value chain integration across the continent.  
He men tioned that this would require strategic interventions, including at the enterprise level, 
meeting appropriate industry standards , and infrastructure  development , all of which would be 
necessary  to enable  public investments to support the private sector in itiative.  
Phase one of the proposed project involves evaluation of the cotton sector in the C -4 through 
a baseline assessment, which is being conducted by UNIDO with support from ITC. The assessment 
will shed light on the supply and demand conditions in t he cotton value chain in the C -4 and 
Côte d'Ivoire and will be implemented between May and October of 2023. He thanked FIFA and 
Afreximbank for financing this phase of the work, and invited Ms. Zigaul to complement the 
discussion.  
Ms. Zigaul  explained tha t a project document would be developed after completion of the 
baseline assessment. She noted that the steering committee's aim is to develop a pragmatic and 
sustainable project that would facilitate global value chain integration, contribute to the econo mic 
development of the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire, respond to the equipment needs of the football federations 
in the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire, and Africa generally, and address the needs of fans around the world who 
cannot find  the clothing  or jerseys  of their national teams on the on the internet.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  noted that  the third phase of the project will potentially be implemented 
in parallel to the second phase , in which  partners are expected to express their support  through 
resource mobilisa tion. He clarified that  the current partners and steering committee members are 
providing  in kind support and , at the right time, will commence resource mobilisation efforts to seek 
external  partners who would be better place d to make the necessary investm ents. 
Ms. Zigaul  described the key challenges facing the sector including low infrastructural capacity 
to facilitate cotton value addition, limited local capacity to produce mixed fibres, competitive 
pressures from low -cost imports and the second -hand clot hing market, and the potential costs and 
technical issues linked to obtaining certification of compliance with sustainability standards.  
She highlighted additional challenges related to waste management, waste treatment, 
underdeveloped recycling systems, l imited visibility of African brands in external markets and 
difficulty in accessing African textiles in those markets. Commercial actors in the region require 
additional information on the benefits of trade agreements and how such agreements could facilita te 
improved commercial exchanges between West Africa and other markets.  
She further explained that the key objective in the short and medium term is to commercialise 
clothing and football apparel, including jerseys, shorts and scarfs for FIFA events, FIFA  member TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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  associations such as African football federations, and FIFA online shops that are available in any 
country, allowing everyone to buy clothing representing African national teams.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  clarified that the short and medium term objective s described by 
Ms. Zigaul relate to small scale production and that the proposed project's long -term objectives 
would be improved value addition and the large -scale commercialization of sports apparel exports. 
In other words, to connect supply from the C -4 to more large -scale commercial operators in new 
markets, which would require seeking and establishing the necessary investments to enable greater 
commercialization or production.  
He stated that, through this presentation, the steering committee is curren tly providing 
visibility to its work. He recalled that on 1 May 2023, the WTO Secretariat and FIFA held a large -
scale promotional activity entitled "Making trade score for women". Since then, the interest in the 
initiative has only grown and other interest ed agencies and governments have reached out to see 
how they can participate in ensuring the realisation of the initiative's intended outcomes.  
Regarding the next steps, he recalled that the baseline assessment will assess the situation 
in the C -4 and C ôte d'Ivoire regarding sustainable production of cotton, textiles, and sports apparel. 
Thereafter, the second phase of the proposed project would seek to identify the applicable resource 
requirements and sustainability requirements to ensure that the product ion meets international 
standards, and identify the investors and investments that could support the transition from cotton 
to more value -added exports.  
He added that the project's outcomes would be specific to delivering an umbrella project that 
would cover the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire, albeit with country -specific deliverables. One of the project's 
outcomes would be global and regional value chain integrati on, which means that some elements or 
components of the production and value addition processes could be sourced from within the African 
Continental Free Trade  Area (AfCFTA) , thus increasing the o pportunities for the C -4, Côte d'Ivoire, 
and African markets  generally.  
Ms. Zigaul,  continuing the explanation of the project's outcomes, emphasised the importance 
of enabling increased sustainable income -generation, and the economic empowerment of women 
and youth, in addition to leveraging the football value chai n as a catalyst for economic development 
in the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire.  
She recalled the milestones of the collaboration between the WTO and FIFA including the 
signature of the MoU  on 27th September 2022 and an on -site mission in Côte d'Ivoire on 
8th November 2022 to discuss and explore how to link cotton production with different FIFA activities 
such as the FIFA Football for Schools program, which uses football as a vehicle to channel positive 
values like living together and teamwork.  
In January 2023 , the steering committee was established to coordinate the proposed project. 
On 1 May 2023, the WTO hosted the event "Making Trade Score for Women" and the Geneva tour 
of the Coca Cola trophy for the upcoming women's world cup which will be held in Austral ia and New 
Zealand between July and August. Finally, on the 17th of May 2023, during the 39th round of the 
DGCFMC, the steering committee presented the proposed project to Members and delegates.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  added that the  final two elements of the steering committee's  work for 
this year would be a si de-event at the upcoming Afreximbank annual general meeting in Accra, 
Ghana, from the 18th to the 21st of June 2023 .  
He invited all participants to attend the meeting, which is expected to  attract over 
2,000 participants from across Africa and serve as a valuable  platform  to introduce the proposed 
project and the WTO -FIFA initiative  to key stakeholders on the  African  continent . He clarified that 
the presentation and proposed participation in the side -event are aimed at raising attention on and 
awareness for this proposed project , identifying the  existing  needs , and set ting the stage for 
fundraising and resource mobilisation efforts for the second phase of the project .  
He recalled the statement of Mr. Romp aey on WCD and noted that high level representative 
representation from all of the partner agencies  at WCD is expected , including the in-person 
participation of the Director -General  of the WTO.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He announced that the steering committee hopes to present the preliminary results of the 
baseline assessment  by WCD  and to begin preparations for subsequent phases of the project shortly 
afterwards.  He concluded by inviting delegates' participation during the presentation on WCD.  
The Chair thanked Ambassador  Fevrier and Ms. Zigaul for their extremely encouraging 
presentation and opened the floor for questions and comments.  
The representative of Chad  thanked both the WTO and FIFA th eir presentation  and agre ed 
that before the M oU between the WTO and FIFA, the link between trade and football was  not always 
obvious.  
He echoed Ambassador  Fevrier's observation that the link between trade and football is 
clearer due to the increased visibility of the MoU. He stre ssed the importance of this  visibility  and 
the close links between football and trade  to the future of the M oU and for the C -4.  
He noted that the scope of the MoU is broader than cotton and thanked the steering committee 
for their contributions towards th e development of the cotton sector, including the various initiatives 
carried out and milestones achieved.  
He underscored although the football market is extremely important in Africa, based on 
discussions that the C -4 have had with FIFA and the WTO, there  is a lot of unexplored potential for 
the African continent, particularly regarding cotton production and transformation. He also inquired 
whether the apparel to be produced in the C -4 would be supplied to football teams in the region, 
sub-region, or count ryside.  
He added that the MoU is particularly interesting for the C -4 because it has the potential to 
address the development of the cotton industry, the effective utilisation of market access for sports 
apparel, and to encourage spinning and textile manuf acturing.  
The MoU could also assist the C -4 with the financing and implementation of other draft 
projects, such as the cotton roadmap, although the C -4 have already submitted separate plans to 
obtaining financing for these projects.  
In addition, the firs t-hand perspective provided by country missions such as that to 
Côte d'Ivoire was extremely interesting and helpful in providing insights on how the governments of 
the C -4 and Côte d'Ivoire can work with their cotton  producers .  
He recalled that one of the  project's outcomes is women's economic empowerment and 
stressed the importance of this issue, as women are omnipresent throughout the cotton value chain.  
He also expressed the C -4's pleasure with the productive next steps outlined by the steering 
committe e and concluded by noting that the dynamic of dialogue and exchange  with the 
WTO Secretariat  will continue with the aim of  ensur ing that the MoU  is successful and yield s tangible 
results for their population s, which are currently enduring  several  crises.  
The representative of C ôte d'Ivoire  thanked the speakers for their presentation and welcomed 
the signature of the WTO -FIFA MoU. He noted that the C -4 and C ôte d'Ivoire expect positive results 
from the MoU, particularly on financing for cotton.  
He elaborated that the current projects in Côte d'Ivoire demonstrate the close link between 
trade and football and how football can be used to benefit the cotton sector, further develop the 
cotton -to-textile value chain, and improve the position of women in cotton production.  
He welcomed the event "Making trade score for women" that was held on 1 May 2023, and 
attended by the Director -General of the WTO, the President of FIFA, and Her Excellency Princess 
Reem bint Mansour Al -Saud of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  
He also welcomed the partnership of the steering committee and concluded by noting that 
the call to action for investment in the sector by Afreximbank requires all Members to get involved.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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The representative of India thanked the speakers for a wonderful presentation and inquired 
on the basis of collaboration with FIFA specifically, as it is a sports federation that does not deal 
directly with football products nor is it able to directly facilitate investments into the cotton sector of 
the C -4 to ensure th at these countries are able to produce apparel that meets the industry's 
specifications.  
He concluded by asking whether FIFA has the influence to provide assured offtake for apparel 
produced in the C -4 and what happens if the baseline assessment reveals t hat the project is not 
viable.  
The representative of C hina thanked Ambassador  Fevrier and Ms. Zigaul for the presentation. 
He noted that the proposed project is a creative idea that links the C-4's cotton production  with 
processing and brand image develop ment,  which  is a strong push and promotion for cotton products 
by FIFA but may not be an entry point for Members to work together on cotton issues.  
He requested distribution of the slides on the proposed project to facilitate further discussion 
with colle agues in China on potential contributions to the project and concluded by asking how 
separate phases of the project are managed.  
The representative of the European Union  thanked Ambassador  Fevrier and Ms. Zigaul for the 
excellent presentation and apologis ed on behalf of the Members who missed the event on 
1 May 2023.  
He asked how the project fits into the existing development strategies of the C -4 and, recalling 
that the African cotton sector is the most sustainable in the world, sought clarification on whether 
the baseline assessment is a feasibility study.  
The representative of Mali  endorsed  the statement by Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the C -4. He 
also thanked India for raising the issue of evaluation  and echoed the Indian representative's question 
on what happens if the baseline assessment  is inconclusive.  
He concluded by seeking clarification on whether mixed fabrics, containing both cotton and 
synthetic fibres, are important for FIFA as, if so,  countries like Mali might be excluded from the 
project because they only produce  conventional cotton . 
The representat ive of Türkiye  thanked the speakers for the presentations and asked whether 
there is a specific project document  detailing the project management cycle and containing activity 
tables for project monitoring and evaluation.  
The representative of Chad  reques ted the floor again to raise two additional questions. He 
noted the importance of the visibility provided by football, which is viewed by millions of people and 
the opportunity presented by the upcoming women's world cup  that will take place in Australia a nd 
New Zealand . He added that the C -4 hoped to see cotton featured during the men's world cup, but 
the schedules were too rushed to accommodate this. He therefore asked FIFA what its plans are  for 
making cotton  a part of the women's world cup.  
He recalled  the issue of synthetics raised by  Mali and confirmed that although football shirts 
are generally made from synthetic products like polyester , the C -4 produce conventional cotton, 
which is good for one's health.  
He also recalled the European Union 's emphasis  of the quality and sustainability of African 
cotton  and asked whether FIFA only uses synthetic products  or if FIFA is  trying to facilitate  
value -addition  to sustainable  cotton like that which produced is produced in Africa.  
The Chair thanked dele gates for their questions and invited Ambassador  Fevrier and 
Ms. Zigaul to respond to the questions and comments raised.  
Ambassador Fevrier  thanked Members for the great level of interest in the proposed project. 
Recalling that the proposed project is not  only being driven by the WTO Secretariat but is also in the 
interest of the C -4, he encouraged and welcomed Members' questions, views, and perspectives.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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Addressing India's question, he expressed the steering committee's reluctance to pre -empt 
the outcome  of the baseline assessment , adding that the steering committee would determine what 
is commercially feasible and possible based on the results of the assessment.  
He also pointed out that the baseline assessment would reveal the potential to leverage the 
AfCFTA to explore opportunities to allocate value in different countries in the region, based on their 
comparative or competitive advantages, thus ensuring the full realisation of the region's potential.  
Noting that he is not an expert in the field, he spe culated that a negative outcome on the 
potential of a country to access and leverage the sports apparel value chain would mean that the 
country would have to identify how to use its cotton production potential more effectively. Although 
this may not be the  ideal outcome sought by the country, it would provide it with clarity on what is 
required for it to generate the highest level of value .  
Regarding China's question on the preliminary feasibility assessment , he clarified that  several  
agencies have previou sly done similar studies  in the region , including the IFC,  and that the baseline 
assessment w ill draw upon their existing fieldwork and in-depth research . 
He further clarified that the only available project document is a concept note, and that the 
requested projected document would be the outcome of the baseline assessment. With the Chair's 
permission, he referred the questions of Mali and Chad on synthetic  versus natural cotton to one of 
the experts present at the meeting from either the WTO Secretariat or UNIDO.  
Ms. Zigaul  confirmed that she would respond to the questions by Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, and 
Chad. However, before this, she thanked Members for thei r constructive feedback and 
complemented Ambassador  Fevrier's response to India by clarifying that FIFA's objective is not to 
denigrate the specification s of football and sports apparel , but rather to  support cotton producing 
African countries to enhance p roduction.  
She added that FIFA member association s are independent, and make their own sourcing 
decisions for sports equipment. FIFA's role is to  assist its  member association s to respond to the 
different challenges that that they have a re facing. I n Afri ca, for example , there are bigger football 
nation s such as  Cameroon  and Côte d'Ivoire  who have equipment supplier s and contact  sponsors . 
However,  a lot of members association s and  local sports federation s do not have similar access to 
equipment and sponsor s, and w hen they do have access to it, the prices are exceedingly high . As a 
result,  some countries can only equip national team s.  
The initiative FIFA -WTO initiative provides a means for the inclusion of women and youth, by 
facilitating accessible and aff ordable supply of equipment to women and youth football teams, 
although sourcing decisions will be made independently, by each local football f ederation.  
Addressing the questions of the representatives of the C -4, she clarified that the proposed 
project would enable the supply of equipment and apparel to various national teams as well as 
youths, under 15 and 17 , and women's teams. She noted the significance  of the women and youth 
market, and the opportunity to create a platform relating to women's jerseys, scarves, and sports 
equipment generally. She explained that similar platforms exist in informal markets and FIFA would 
not receive any royalties for facil itating this in Africa.  
Concerning the debate on cotton and synthetics, she noted that there are diverse types of 
sports apparel and equipment that could be produced using cotton only or a blend of cotton and 
synthetic fibres, such as tracksuits, memorabi lia, scarves, t-shirts,  and socks . She, however, 
emphasised the importance of using synthetic blends to efficiently respond to the needs of FIFA's 
members.  
Mr. Matthias Knappe, Senior Officer and Programme Manager for Cotton, Textiles & Clothing 
at The Int ernational Trade Centre , noting that Ms. Zigaul had already addressed the question on 
synthetic fibres and cotton, complemented her response by clarifying that the production of jerseys 
for football is just one aspect of the proposed project and that there  is potential to develop a whole 
range of cotton -made branded street wear products that is not directly related to sport or football 
and fan -ware/memorabilia.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He recalled the presentation by ICAC on industrialisation, which showed that countries can 
devel op their textile industries by either starting from cotton production or starting with garments 
by importing fabrics, like Bangladesh. He linked this with ICAC's discussion on the effective utilisation 
of preference schemes like the EBA and noted that it i s possible for the C -4 to import polyester 
fabrics and apply both models described by ICAC to develop their cotton and textile industries in 
parallel to the football scheme envisioned by the proposed project.  
He concluded by mentioning that the work under  the MoU is complementary to and will further 
develop the cotton roadmap project, which was mentioned several times throughout the meeting, 
as the baseline assessment would also be an updated baseline assessment on the cotton roadmap.  
Jinjiang Yan, an Industrial Development Officer at UNIDO  complemented ITC's response to 
the question on whether th e synthetic fibre opportunity will have an impact on conventional  cotton 
production lines  by stating that it is a  fantastic opportunity and another p lus to the co tton value 
chain.  
He added that UNIDO and ITC are working on the technical documents and will consider the 
questions and concerns raised by delegates during the baseline assessment, as well as the demand, 
marketing and quality requirements, and applicable  environmental and social sustainability 
standards.  
He concluded by recalling that the results of the baseline assessment will be presented at 
WCD in October.  
The Chair thanked Mr. Yan and, noting that there were no further requests for the floor, 
invite d Ambassador  Fevrier and Ms. Zigaul to share their concluding remarks.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  thanked the Chair and clarified that t he project is governed by the 
steering committee, which is comprised of  the WTO, FIFA, UNIDO , ITC and A freximban k. The 
steering committee will regularly report its progress to Members, including during the DGCFMC.  
He thanked Ms. Marième Fall and the cotton team, led by the Director of the Agriculture and 
Commodities Division and DDG Paugam, for their hard work and support for this initiative.  
He concluded by mentioning that the cotton team and the office of the Director -General are 
always available to provide Members with any required guidance, support, clarification and to benefit 
from Members' wisdom.  
The Chair noted that he may have missed the flag raised by Burkina Faso, and invited the 
representative of Burkina Faso to speak before Ms. Zigaul shared her concluding remarks.  
The representative of Burkina Faso  thanked the Chair and, on behalf of the country's f ocal 
point who attended the meeting virtually but experienced technical challenges, asked what the model 
of implementation for the project in the C -4 would be.  
The Chair thanked the representative of Burkina Faso and invited Ms. Zigaul to make her 
conclud ing remarks.  
Ms Zigaul  addressed Burkina Faso's question by recalling Chad's statement on the importance 
of properly addressing the realities of the context in the C -4, and noted that this is a priority for the 
steering committee. This necessitates a prop er work synergy between countries to facilitate the 
design and implementation of a realistic and pragmatic project that properly addresses their needs 
as well as the needs of the various sporting federations and fans throughout the world.  
She invited the other members of the steering committee to respond to Burkina Faso's 
question before making her concluding remarks.  
Mr. Abah Ofon, a Senior Manager, Export Development (Advisory) at  Afreximbank , thanked 
the Chair, the WTO and FIFA for involving Afreximbank 's in this important project.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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He commented on the Bank's pledge of grant -matching funds of USD 300,000, made during 
the July 2022 partner's conference. He noted that Afreximbank was considering the project 
proposals put on the table by the C -4 and other c ountries back in July 2022 very seriously, 
and that Afreximbank would provide a response to the countries very soon .  
The Chair thanked Mr. Ofon and Afreximbank for all its support to project development on 
cotton. He noted that the meeting was almost out of time, and invited Ambassador  Fevrier and 
Ms. Zigaul to share their final thoughts.  
Ms. Zigaul  once again thanked the Chair and Members for their constructive feedback . She 
added that the project is very important to FIFA,  and they are happy to collabor ate with WTO , ITC, 
UNIDO, Afreximbank, the C -4 countries and Côte d'Ivoire to make the project  as impactful and 
sustainable as possible. She concluded by expressing the steering committee's willingness to report  
on the next  steps after completion of the  baseline assessment.  
Ambassador  Fevrier  expressed his gratitude to all the delegates, Members, and members of 
the steering committee for making the time to participate in this discussion. He noted that this 
project is a very high priority for the Director -General,  who is personally committed to ensuring that 
the steering committee's  work goes forward for the benefit of the C-4.  
He also thank ed FIFA for its continued partnership  and invited th ose who have not yet pledged 
their commitment to this project to consider  contribut ing, if possible , during th e initial phase  and 
future phases of the project .  
He concluded by thanking  DDG Pau gam and his Secretariat team for the ir hard work  on th e 
cotton  file.  
The Chair once again thanked Ambassador  Fevrier and Ms. Z igaul for the very encouraging 
presentation and exchange with delegates. He noted that that the project elicited a lot of interest, 
which is extremely positive and closed this agenda item.  
10  CONCLUDING REMARKS: ACTION POINTS AND NEXT STEPS  
The Chair noted th at this was a particularly productive meeting and reminded participants of 
a few action items that would be relevant for the next Round of consultations of the DGCFMC, in the 
Fall of 2023.  
He recalled that the Jassids problem was discussed at length and requested the FAO to 
provide an updated overview of their work in addressing this issue in the region . 
He announced that UNIDO would hold a virtual meeting with all the WCD partner 
agencies and the representatives of the C -4 to discuss the proposed agenda for WCD , which 
would later be shared with delegates and Members, and reiterated that the Director -General of the 
WTO will be present at WCD.  
He announced that two additional e -learning modules  would be released before the next 
DGCFMC and expressed the hope that everyone would use and benefit from them.  
He added that during the next meeting, the Secretariat would also discuss the results 
of the baseline assessment and their impact on the implementation of the MoU between 
FIFA and the WTO . 
He also ga ve his availability to accompany Memb ers' consultations towards  a meaningful  
result  for the development pillar of cotton  during the next WTO Ministerial Conference, which would 
take place in February 2024.  
The Chair thanked the entire Secretariat team and  the Office of the Director -General, the 
interpreters and the conference services, for their support during the 39th session of the DGCFMC. 
He concluded by thanking all the delegates, participants, and speakers, connected both virtually and 
present in the room, for their attendance.  TN/AG/SCC/W/46 • WT/CFMC/72  
 
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The meeting was adjourned.  
 
 
__________