Bamako: Burkina Faso called on Thursday in Bamako for the adoption of a common strategy among the C4+ countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Ivory Coast) to better defend their interests in cotton negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The position was expressed by the Minister in charge of Industry, Serge Gnaniodem Poda, during the 9th meeting of the Interministerial Coordination Committee of the C4+1 in Bamako.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the meeting opened with delegations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, and Ivory Coast in attendance. The discussions occur in a context where the outcomes of the sectoral initiative in favor of cotton have remained "mixed," despite several years of advocacy against subsidies and practices deemed unfair on the global market.
Mali's Minister of Industry, Moussa Alassane Diallo, highlighted that cotton remains a "pillar of growth and economic inclusion," especially for young people and women. Meanwhile, the representative of the Malian Prime Minister, Major General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, lamented the unfulfilled commitments from the Hong Kong Conference, particularly the promise of a "rapid, specific and ambitious" resolution of the cotton issue.
General Mohammedine criticized the appropriation of raw materials from the South by certain economic powers and urged the C4+1 countries to expedite local processing to retain more added value. Minister Poda reiterated Ouagadougou's commitment to strengthening synergy and presenting a unified front, stating that the cotton sector, although strategic economically and socially, suffers from unfair international practices by some large producers.
Poda also outlined the Burkinabe authorities' vision to transition African countries from being fiber exporters to producers of processed goods capable of influencing global prices. Participants regard the Bamako meeting as a crucial step before the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, scheduled for March 2026 in Yaounde, which is considered a "last opportunity" to secure significant advancements for African cotton.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Burkinabe minister announced his participation in the International Handicrafts Fair of Mali (SIAMA), affirming Burkina Faso's commitment to the processing and promotion of local cotton.