. /. 
 
 
    Pascal Lamy 
  Director-General 
 
 
      
21 April 2009 
  
 
      
Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives,  
 
 This year, I am pleased to circulate to Members two Tables, resulting from the strong 
partnership that WTO Members have formed to address the cotton dossier.  The first one is the 
updated version of the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance  (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.5) 1;  the 
second one is a new Table on Domestic Co tton Sector Reforms (WT/CFMC/21).   
  The updated version of the Evolving Table indicates the important progress made by the 
development community in partnership with benefici aries. It has been prepared on the basis of new 
contributions from the African Development Bank, the EC, the US, IMF, ITC, CFC/ICAC, UNIDO 
and a first time contribution from Brazil.  It h as also benefited from comments and inputs from 
beneficiaries of cotton development assistance.   I would also like to pay particular tribute to Brazil, China (P.R.) and India for their role and 
contributions to cotton sector development in the cotton proponent countries, using the platform of 
South-South Cooperation for Cotton Sector Devel opment in the Consultative Framework Mechanism 
on Cotton (DGCFMC).     The Evolving Table continues to be a signi ficant bi-annual transparency mechanism.  In 
addition to serving as an instrument for the Member ship to track and monitor development assistance 
provided to the cotton proponents, it is also a useful tool for dialogue between the development community and receivers of assistance to the cotton sector.  As such it remains work in progress.   
 
The current 6
th version of the Evolving Table  shows the progress and challenges:  
 
• In Part I of the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance, the number of 
individual beneficiaries decreased to 24 as a result of the changed scope of some activities to regional platforms.   The total number of commitments increased from 112 to 149 (an increase of 33%), but slightly decreased in value terms from US$551 million to US$548 million (a decrease of 0.5%).   
 
                                                 
1 The previous version of the Evolving Table is contained in document WT/CFMC/6/Rev.4.     WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  - 2 - 
 
• The actual disbursements of these commitments have risen, and now stand at 
US$136 million, an increase of approximately 25% from the previous US$109 million.  This is a welcome development.   However, I continue to urge that  
further attention be paid to the challenge of disbursements. 
 
• In Part II of the Evolving Table, under Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related 
Development Assistance, the number of commitments remains fairly stable, as does the total value of these commitments which amounts to approximately US$2 billion.  
The total value of disbursed amounts has increased by around 19% from US$134 million to US$159 million in the attached updated version.  But, again, a 
wide gap remains between "commi tments" and "disbursements".  
   In keeping with the understanding at the 9
th Round of the DGCFMC, several of the cotton 
proponents have set out their priorities for the domes tic reform of their cotton sector.  This will help 
identify areas for effective intervention and efficien t resource use by the development community.   
 
 I would ask Members to review the details of the tables in a broader policy context.  Cotton 
remains a key test of the development aspects of the Doha Round.  Cotton-producing countries, 
particularly the proponents of the Sectoral Initia tive on Cotton, are being severely affected by the 
global financial and economic crisis  in their cotton production, export trade and mill use. If before 
there was a need to act expeditiously to address the cotton dossier in the context of the Doha 
Development Round, the current financial crisis has made it an imperative.  
  I have convened the next Round of my "Cons ultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton" on 
24 April 2009.  This will be the 11
th Round of Consultations. H.E.  Ambassador David Walker 
(Chairman of the Special Session of the Committe e on Agriculture) will brief Members on the Trade 
Policy Aspects of Cotton.   
 I would like to seize this opportunity to express my appreciation to the development 
community and the recipients of development assist ance for cotton – partners in this exercise – for 
their continued engagement.