27 October 2023

Dear Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives,

I am enclosing the latest version of the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance (WT/CFMC/6/Rev.35) for review by Members in advance of the next Round of the Director‑General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton (DGCFMC), scheduled for 7 November 2023.

The enclosed Evolving Table (ET) contains project updates by Benin, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, Japan, and The Netherlands. In addition, the document includes updates on projects implemented by the Common Fund for Commodities and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

I am pleased to report that the total value of active cotton-specific projects under Part I "Cotton-specific development assistance" increased to over USD 355 million, from the USD 277 million recorded in the previous revision of the ET.

The total number of active projects under Part I also increased to 37 (up from 31 in the previous revision). As regards Part II "Agriculture and Infrastructure-Related Development Assistance", there are 39 active projects.

Part III of the ET lists cotton focal points from developing country Members, with updates received from Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali.

Part IV of the ET compiles cotton-related development assistance requests submitted by developing country Members. A total of ten project requests have been submitted by Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Mali, and the C-4 as a group, for consideration.

I also refer you to the 22^nd version of the Table on Domestic Cotton Sector Reforms (WT/CFMC/21/Rev.21) which contains updates received from Burkina Faso and Morocco.

The 40^th Round of the DGCFMC will be held on 7 November 2023, starting at 10 a.m. The twentieth Dedicated Discussion of the Relevant Trade-related Developments on Cotton will take place in the afternoon of the same day, starting at 3 p.m.

The enclosed document will form the basis for the 40^th Round of Consultations of the DGCFMC.

Yours sincerely,

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala