The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) hosted an event yesterday, entitled “Making Trade Score for Women,” highlighting the significant role football and international trade can play in empowering women. The event featured the unveiling of the 2023 Women’s World Cup official trophy and was opened by Ambassadors Clare Kelly of New Zealand and George Mina of Australia.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the importance of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is projected to generate $220 billion, presenting a substantial opportunity for African cotton producers to be connected to the football value chain. She called for greater investment in the Cotton-4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali) and Côte d’Ivoire to help them move up the value chain in the global sports apparel market.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino outlined the linkages between trade and sports economy, pointing to its tremendous potential to create more value for developing countries. He also highlighted FIFA’s ambitious investment in women’s football and the importance of the upcoming Women’s World Cup. Infantino stated, “We had a very successful Women’s World Cup in France in 2019, with 1.2 billion viewers all over the world, and more than 1 million in the stadiums. The next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be even bigger than that, with 2 billion viewers.”
The event also featured discussions on the transformative effects of football, with personal stories from World Cup winner Anja Mittag and international player Didier Drogba, emphasizing their support for using football as a means to provide opportunities for women and girls.
A panel of female CEOs from Africa discussed the opportunities and challenges associated with the cotton value chain, women’s social inclusion, and how their businesses could benefit from the growth of football while promoting sustainable practices.
Ambassador Ahmad Makaila of Chad, speaking on behalf of the Cotton-4 countries, praised the WTO and FIFA’s joint efforts to support African cotton and women’s empowerment, expressing confidence in their ability to integrate these economies into global actions and looking forward to strengthening collaboration between the organizations.
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