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Add to Preferred SourcesIn opening World Cotton Day at the WTO on 7 October, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo underlined the importance of cotton to many developing countries and said he hoped that the event would “bring together the cotton, trade and development communities to foster greater value addition and value capture in developing countries”.
DG Azevêdo was joined at the opening plenary session by WTO General Council Chair Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, Benin’s Trade Minister Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, Burkina Faso’s Trade Minister Harouna Kabore, Chad’s Trade Minister Achta Djibrine and Mali’s Minister of Agriculture Moulaye Ahmed Boubacar.
Ministers highlighted the strategic role of cotton for cotton-producing countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, known as the Cotton-Four (C-4), and other developing and least developed countries. The C-4 countries, which have requested formal recognition of a World Cotton Day by the United Nations General Assembly, called on the global cotton community to join the celebration of cotton.
Lauding cotton’s central role in livelihoods, job creation and economic stability in several least-developed countries, DG Azevêdo asked participants to heed the challenges faced by cotton farmers, including market access barriers, subsidies provided by some countries and supply-side challenges at home which limit the competitiveness of export-oriented processing.
He stressed the importance of shedding light on the linkages between trade, cotton and development. Recalling the many steps taken by WTO members to support the cotton sector, DG Azevedo said: “They have eliminated agricultural export subsidies, a major source of price distortions. They have worked to enable developing countries to benefit more from every step of the cotton value chain.” He also admitted: “There is still much work to be done to level the playing field for cotton producers, especially in LDCs. And that’s what today is about.”
World Cotton Day was established to celebrate all aspects of cotton, from its qualities as a natural fibre to the benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption. The event is intended to shed light on the challenges faced by the cotton sector around the world, and particularly in least-developed countries (LDCs).
Original source: WTO
Published on 07 October 2019