At a recent meeting of the Steering Committee of the Partnership for Cotton, a welcoming statement was made on behalf of WTO Director-General Ngozi and the speaker. This meeting, held in Cairo, focused on strengthening the cotton-textile-apparel value chain in C4+ countries, which include Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The speaker expressed their commitment to the partnership, despite being unable to attend in person, and expressed appreciation for the Egyptian authorities and Afreximbank's efforts in organizing the event. Gratitude was also extended to UNIDO for its pivotal role in the partnership, along with other participating governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and private sector actors. Particular recognition was given to the C4 countries for their long-standing advocacy for the cotton economy at the WTO.
The objectives for the two-day meeting were clearly outlined, focusing on creating more value-added opportunities, expanding trade, and ensuring sustainable development within the cotton sector. This includes presenting national and regional reports from C4+ consultations, identifying national priorities and technical assistance needs, and discussing financial measures based on these reports.
This meeting is seen as pivotal, following a report by UNIDO and the International Trade Centre in June 2024, and subsequent national consultations in September 2024. These efforts have identified priorities in the cotton-textile-apparel sector.
The dynamics of the partnership, the diversity of participants, and promising national studies highlight an action-oriented approach. The upcoming WTO ministerial conference in Yaoundé in 2026 serves as a milestone for future mobilization efforts.
The speaker emphasized optimism and the goal of achieving concrete results for industrializing and locally transforming cotton in partner countries. These outcomes will be shared at the next WTO meeting on cotton, set for May 14, addressing challenges faced by the cotton industry in C4 and other developing countries. The speaker concluded by passing the floor to Executive Vice President Kanayo Awani of Afreximbank.