Brussels 26 November 2018/WTO/ACP/: Cotton, the soft and fluffy fibre that grows in bolls, is one of the world’s leading agricultural crops. It is also a commodity of particular importance for ACP countries. Cotton has been a key issue in the WTO agriculture negotiations and as an important development-related issue since 2003 when it was raised by four ACP countries— Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali — known as the Cotton Four or C-4.

The WTO's “cotton days” bring together WTO delegates, international experts and representatives of high-level governmental and intergovernmental organizations, as well as key private sector actors, to discuss progress in development assistance, cotton market trends and technical information underpinning cotton negotiations.

The cotton days are unique in that they address in a holistic manner market conditions, trade-related measures and domestic policies as well as development projects for cotton, a commodity of particular importance to least-developed countries.

The next WTO “cotton days” will take place from 28 to 29 November 2018 and will cover both the development assistance aspects of cotton as well as trade-related developments in the cotton sector.

More information on “Cotton Days” at www.wto.org/cottondays