. /. 
 
 
    Pascal Lamy 
  Director-General 
 
 
12 May 2010  
 
 
 
Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives:   The next Round of the Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton  will take place 
on 7 June 2010.  I wanted to send you, ahead of th ese consultations, the Ninth Version of the 
Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assist ance (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.8), for your careful 
assessment and review.  Cotton Developmen t Assistance has been broken down by the 
Consultative Framework into two categories over the years: (1) Cotton Specific Development Assistance, and (2) Agriculture and Infrastruc ture – Related Development Assistance.   
  I would note that in these two areas comb ined, in the Ninth Version of the Evolving 
Table, progress has been made in the total value  of commitments and extent of the actual 
disbursements  taking place (see the Annex to the Ta ble).  However, I would urge that 
delegations not stop at the aggregate picture, but  also examine each of the two main sections 
individually.  Within each section, certain  changes are taking place  that are worthy of 
Members' attention.  For example, the numbe r of beneficiaries within each section is 
changing, and the value of commitments is dropping in  Part I, but rising in  Part II.  This is 
reflective of a consolidation of programs at th e regional level, and of a greater focus on 
increased agricultural productivity (cotton included) under Part II. Both of these 
developments merit your careful scrutiny, so the Consultative Framework Mechanism on 
Cotton continues to serve a useful purpose.    
  The results of the Ninth version of the Evolving Table show that: 
 
• In Part I, on Cotton Specific Development Assistance , the number of individual 
beneficiaries increased from 23 to 41.   The total number of commitments 
increased by 8:  from 153 in the 8
th version to 161 in th e current version.  
However, there was a decrease in the value of these commitments from US$564 
million in the 8th version to US$551 million in the current version. Disbursement 
flows rose by 24%: from US$215 million in the 8th version to US$266 million in 
the current version.   
 
• In Part II, on Agriculture and Infrastructure-R elated Development Assistance , 
the number of individual beneficiaries decr eased from 41 in the previous version 
to 35.  The number of commitments in creased by 10, from 84 in the previous 
version to 94 in the curren t version.  The total value of  these commitments show a WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  - 2 - 
 
significant increase of 33.6%, from US$2.89 billion in the 8th version to US$3.86 
billion in the current version.  Disbur sement flows improved by 28.7%, from 
US$178 million in the previous 8th version to US$229 million in the current 
version. 
  I would note that cotton development a ssistance has been sustained and increased, 
even in the circumstance where many of our Me mbers have been fiscally challenged as a 
consequence of the 2008/2009 global financial and economic crisis.  I would also note the 
contributions by Brazil, China and India to the platform of Sout h-South Cooperation for 
Cotton Sector Development.  I can also signal, at  this stage, that the authorities in Pakistan 
are working hard with partners to develop a pr oject entry to the Evol ving Table; a welcome 
development.     I am also attaching to this letter, the updated second version of the Domestic Cotton 
Sector Reform Table (DCS-RT;  WT/CFMC/ 21/Rev.1).  These reforms must go hand-in-
hand with the provision of development assistance. 
  Finally, I would seize this opportunity to re mind the Membership of the inseparability 
of the provision of cotton development assistan ce from the actual trade-policy negotiations 
that are currently taking place in the DDA. We must all continue to aim for a successful 
conclusion of the DDA; with the cotton dossier  having now become a "litmus test" for its 
development dimension.