Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam recently chaired the 43rd Round of Consultations of the Director-General's Consultative Framework Mechanism for Cotton (DGCFMC). During this meeting, members discussed potential advancements in the cotton industry, focusing on the Cotton 4+ countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire. The meeting was held at the African Export-Import Bank headquarters in Cairo on April 28-29.
Paugam highlighted a study published in June 2024 that underscores the potential benefits of processing 25 percent of C4+ cotton locally. The study suggests such an initiative could create around 500,000 jobs with an investment of approximately $5 billion.
Discussions also touched upon the upcoming World Cotton Day scheduled for October 7, 2025, in Rome. This event aims to enhance visibility and promote investment in African cotton. Chad, along with the FAO and International Trade Centre (ITC), jointly announced these plans.
Afreximbank emphasized standardizing project submissions for transparency and collaboration among C4+ projects. Members shared their experiences within South-South cooperation frameworks and expressed support for job creation and economic diversification within the cotton sector.
Emerging challenges were addressed by members learning about developments in cotton-producing regions and new issues facing C-4+ countries. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) provided insights into water use in cotton cultivation amidst changing climate patterns.
Key steps outlined by DGCFMC include organizing a technical seminar on second-hand clothing recycling led by Côte d'Ivoire on June 19. There is also a plan to create a harmonized project submission template to present priority projects at an upcoming workshop.
Ambassador Hussain updated members on consultations regarding agriculture negotiations related to cotton ahead of MC14. Discussions included possibly decoupling cotton negotiations from broader agricultural packages to expedite standalone decisions.
The ICAC forecasted a production increase of approximately seven percent for the global cotton market during the 2024-25 season while revising trade projections downward due to decreased forecasts from earlier this year.
The ITC updated attendees about enhancements planned for its Cotton Portal—a collaborative initiative with WTO—to consolidate information relevant to producers and traders globally. These improvements aim to increase accessibility and utility across developing economies.
The WTO Secretariat introduced a revised paper compiling all available information concerning global cotton-related activities as part of Cotton Day events held at their headquarters.