| On November 21, 2001, speaking from the Office of the UNPCB, President François Traoré, African cotton growing farmers sent their «West African cotton growing farmers common Call». They wrote: «We solemnly ask USA and EU to abolish their subsidies to cotton growing farmers. We ask all those who want to build a fairer and more brotherly world to join us in order to put pressure on the States and EU so that they abolish those subsidies.» Today, thanks to the help of Solidarity Network (or AEFJN), of Oxfam-Belgium, Oxfam International, ENDA, and of many others I cannot mention here, we can say that this call has been heard. Today, at Cancùn, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad ask for the abolition of the cotton subsidies where they exist (above all in the USA). Those subsidies are a threat on West and Central African countries where cotton growing represents 80% of exports incomings. This request became important at the very beginning of the Conference because of its symbolic character: the four countries do not ask for a preferential treatment; they just ask that, according to WTO rules, some distortions be ended. That was the conclusion of the WTO Director General who took over the question in a distinct work group. But this is not the end of it. Today, M. François Traoré left his office in Bobo-Dioulasso and his cotton fields to go to Cancùn. He was welcomed by the President of the 5th WTO Ministerial Conference. This very morning, a message tells it this way: Cancùn, September 12, 2003 The request of Burkina farmers is handed over to the President of the conference. The President of the UNPCB, M. François Traoré, reminded the President of the 5th Ministerial Conference of WTO, the Mexican Minister of Trade, Carlos Perez de Castillo, the urgency to find a solution to the cotton dossier at the Cancùn meeting, by handing him over the thousands of petitions signed by Burkina farmers. «Through this petition, Burkina Faso cotton-growing farmers wanted to put a question to the government and to the international community», François Traoré said in front of the Mexican Minister. He continued: «Through this gesture, Burkina farmers would like to stress the urgent necessity to find a solution to the cotton crisis, and at the same time to show their confidence in the ability of WTO to find a just and fair solution to save the cotton sector of Burkina Faso, as well as that of West and Central Africa.» Nearly 100 000 petitions put together by Burkina cotton-growing farmers were handed over to the President of the Conference. According to François Traoré, it took time to him to explain to his wife why he had to leave the village at the time of heavy work in the fields. He explains: «You can see that cotton is a family business. In the village, the cotton boom gave hope to young people who stay at home, rather than going away to town or abroad in order to find work.» In Burkina Faso, 200 000 households of about 10 people live on cotton. Brahima Ouédraogo, from Cancùn When you read these lines, you will probably know the results of this Ministerial Conference in Cancùn. Anyway, the determination shown by the African negotiators, and the practically unanimous help from the international community (American negotiators excepted!) is already a victory. And so is the determination of those same Africans to defend their agriculture. Maurice Oudet Lyon, September 13, 2003 |
View from the South