WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/CFMC/W/56 
5 July 2012 
 (12-3581) 
 Original: French 
  
 
DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK 
MECHANISM ON COTTON 
 
Communication from Burkina Faso 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 29 June 2012,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Burkina Faso, on behalf of the co -sponsors of the Sectoral Initiative in Favour of 
Cotton (C4).  
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MISSION BY THE C4 COUNTRIES TO WASHINGTON, D.C. 
17 TO 21 JUNE 2012 
  
I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT BY  MINISTER A.P. KAFANDO 
1. A delegation of the four co-sponsors of the Sect oral Initiative in Favour of Cotton, referred to 
as the "C4" countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad  and Mali), conducted an awareness-raising and 
advocacy mission in Washington, D.C. from 17 to 21 June 2012. 
2. The mission was prepared in close collaboration with the relevant US authorities and led by 
myself (Arthur Patiendé KAFANDO) on behalf of my peers and in my capacity as the 
C4 Coordinating Minister.  It involved the C4 negot iators at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 
Geneva, and the representatives of the C4 diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C. and of the West 
African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). 
3. This mission built on the C4 approach based on dialogue and the endeavour to find a 
sustainable trade solution to the issue of cotton subs idies, in an open and constructive manner.  This 
has always led the Group to put practical proposals on the table - the main goal being to find solutions to the problems faced by African cotton growers while  considering the constraints of its partners in 
these negotiations. 
4. The C4 mission in Washington took place in the form of bilateral meetings with 
US Congressmen (elected members of the Senate and the House of Representatives) and high officials 
from the Federal Administration and reference in stitutions for the cotton issue, such as the 
International Cotton Advisory Council (IC AC) and the National Cotton Council (NCC). 
5. The C4 approach was prompted by the need  to undertake awareness-raising and advocacy 
actions among US political officials and public opin ion at this crucial stage of discussions in the 
US Congress on the revision of the Farm Bill, and to argue in favour of consideration of the interests 
of the African cotton producers in the Bill. WT/CFMC/W/56 
Page 2  
 
  6. The issue for the C4 was therefore to urge for the cotton programmes contemplated in the 
Farm Bill 2012 to reduce distortions in the world cott on market caused by the subsidies granted by the 
US Government. 
7. Following these contacts, the C4 delega tion commended the measures taken by the 
United States to support the African cotton sector in  general and the C4 cotton sector in particular, 
notably through specific programmes such as  the West African Cotton Improvement 
Program (WACIP), which the US Government has d ecided to extend for a period of four years. 
8. Nonetheless, the C4 recalled that such meas ures, taken under the "development" component 
of the cotton issue, could not bear fruit without conc urrent action to eliminate the policies that distort 
international trade in cotton. 
9. The C4 thus expressed deep concern about certain schemes provided for in the Farm Bill 
under discussion, inter alia  the Stacked Income Protection Plan for Producers of Upland 
Cotton (STAX), which could lead to far greater dist ortions in world cotton trade than was the case 
today. 
10. The mission to Washington was therefore an ex cellent opportunity to advance the arguments 
of the African cotton growers and to call upon US legislators in particular to think about reforming 
their cotton subsidies in such a way as not to cause greater or further harm to developing country producers and especially African producers. 
11. At the end of the mission, the C4 was gratifie d to have met high-level US representatives and 
welcomed the favourable attention it received,  which enhances the quality of the continuous 
interaction established between the two parties in recent years.  The C4 also welcomed the 
commitment of the United States to the WTO mu ltilateral trading system and the Doha Round, 
including its development component. 
12. While once again commending the considerable efforts made by the United States for the 
development component of the cotton issue, inter alia  under bilateral and regional agreements, the 
C4 calls for genuine engagement on the part of th e United States as its key partner in the multilateral 
trade negotiations and on the basis of achievements  made in the WTO negotiations, particularly under 
the Hong Kong mandate. 
13. The C4 reaffirms its willingness to enter construc tively, as it has done in the past, into frank 
negotiations with the United States and the other stake holders, so that a solution to the thorny issue of 
cotton can at last be found. 
14. Indeed, economic stability and social balance in many African countries that are among the 
poorest and most vulnerable in the world depend on this issue being resolved. 
II. PRESS RELEASE 
15. A delegation of the four co-sponsors of the Sect oral Initiative in Favour of Cotton, referred to 
as the "C4" countries (Benin, Burk ina Faso, Chad and Mali), led by H.E. Mr Arthur P. KAFANDO, 
Minister of Industry, Trade and Crafts of Burk ina Faso and Coordinator of the C4, conducted a 
mission to Washington, D.C. from 17 to 21 June  2012 aimed at advocacy and raising awareness 
among the US authorities. 
16. Several bilateral meetings were held w ith US Congressmen, representatives of the 
Federal Administration as well as the cotton lobby at this crucial stage of discussions in the 
US Congress on the revision of the Farm Bill.  WT/CFMC/W/56 
 Page 3 
 
 
  17. Following these contacts, the C4 delega tion commended the measures taken by the 
United States to support the African cotton sector in  general and the C4 cotton sector in particular, 
notably through specific programmes such as  the West African Cotton Improvement 
Program (WACIP), which the US Government has decided to extend. 
18. Nonetheless, the C4 stresses th at such measures taken under the "development" component of 
the cotton issue cannot bear fruit without concurrent  action to eliminate the policies that distort 
international trade in cotton. 
19. Therefore, the C4: 
(a) Deplores the lack of any meaningful or tangible progress on the trade policy aspects 
of the cotton issue since the Sectoral Initia tive in Favour of Cotton was submitted to 
the WTO in 2003; 
(b) calls for the concerns of the African cotton producers to be taken into account in the 
US Congress discussions on the revision of the Farm Bill. 
20. The C4 accordingly urges for the cotton prog rammes addressed in the discussions on the 
revision of the Farm Bill for the coming five years to reduce, if not eliminate, distortions in the world 
cotton market caused by the subsidies granted by the US Government. 
21. Indeed, it is important to recall that cotton is  a strategic crop for more than 20 million people 
in West and Central Africa, especially in the context of poverty reduction, and is therefore is a source 
of hope that the Millennium Development Goal s (MDGs), which the United States is deeply 
engaged in through the Millennium  Challenge Account (MCA) in particular, will be achieved.  There 
are three years left in which to attain the MDGs a nd this cash crop is expected to contribute to their 
achievement. 
22. Hence, aware of the ever-increasing urgency to fi nd a fair and equitable solution to the cotton 
issue, the C4 requests that the next US Farm Bill contain provisions which reduce trade-distorting 
cotton support and that genuine negotia tions be entered into at the WTO in order to reach a mutually 
acceptable solution to the cotton issue, in accord ance with the December 2005 Hong Kong mandate. 
23. The C4 remains strongly determined to coope rate actively with the United States and the 
other cotton stakeholders with a view to reso lving the cotton issue and firmly believes that 
engagement on the part of the United States will be seen not only as the best possible signal of its 
leadership in the Doha Round negotiations but also as renewed evidence of its will to build a lasting, 
strong and mutually profitable relationship with the African countries. 
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