At the World Trade Organisation (WTO) 9th Global Review of Aid for Trade, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) was at the forefront of the Ministerial Dialogue on “Cotton-to-Clothing: Charting Pathways to Create Sustainable Jobs for Women and Youth in West and Central Africa” on June 26, part of the Partenariat pour le Coton’s ongoing efforts to mobilize resources for West Africa’s developing cotton and textile industry. This initiative aims to mobilize $12 billion for the Cotton Four countries or “C4” (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) and Côte d’Ivoire to back the development of a sustainable cotton industry in the region.
A significant milestone in this endeavor was the signing of a Joint Declaration during the 9th Global Review of Aid for Trade, aimed at stimulating investment financing. This collaborative effort united UNIDO, WTO, ITC and Afreximbank with financial institutions Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
The Cotton-to-Clothing panel assembled representatives from development finance institutions, the private sector, and development partners and was moderated by WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam.
