GENEVA — December 17, 2011 — United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Trade Ministers and
WTO Ambassadors from Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali — the “Cotton Four” or “C-4” countries —
held a meeting Friday on the margins of the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, Switzerland,
to discuss cotton issues, including new initiatives announced by the United States. Attending the
meeting were Ms. Madina Sephou, Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Small and Medium Enterprises
for Benin; Mr. Mahamat Allahou Taher, Minister of Commerce and Industry for Chad; and WTO
Ambassadors from Burkina Faso and Mali.
The new U.S. proposals to help boost trade for least developed country (LDC) Members of the
WTO, particularly African cotton-producing countries, include expansion of duty-free-quota-free
treatment for upland cotton grown in LDCs; multi-year renewal of the West Africa Cotton Improvement
Program (WACIP), a successful technical assistance program for West African cotton producing
countries; and additional help for countries seeking to make maximum use of existing U.S. trade
preference programs such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Speaking on behalf of the C-4 group, Chadian Minister Allahou Taher thanked the United States
for support already given to the African cotton sector through WACIP and AGOA, and for the new
initiatives, saying that once implemented, they will have a very important impact on African
farmers.
More information about the new U.S. initiatives, as well as existing cotton and other
programs, is online at
http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/fact-sheets/2011/new-us-initiatives-boost-trade-and-investment-opportunities-l.
During the meeting, Ambassador Kirk and C-4 officials reaffirmed their mutual commitment to
working for positive outcomes on cotton at the WTO, and noted recent successful collaboration on
cotton language in the consensus statement to be issued at this week’s Ministerial Conference.
Ambassador Kirk said, “The new cotton initiatives announced by the United States this week are part
of the Obama Administration’s broad and steadfast commitment to work with the C-4 and other least
developed countries to boost their economic growth and development. We look forward to further
coordination in Geneva, in Washington, and in all of the C-4 capitals as these new initiatives are
implemented.”
Posted on December 21, 2011
Source: USTR
