Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Tanzila Narbayeva, met with a delegation from the international organization Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) led by Janis Bellinghausen.

Opening the meeting, Narbayeva noted that Uzbekistan highly values its partnership with BCI. She emphasized the organization’s crucial role in promoting agricultural sustainability, upholding decent labour standards, and enhancing transparency across the cotton-textile supply chain.

During the discussion, it was underlined that the cotton-textile sector remains one of the key pillars of Uzbekistan’s economy and has undergone major reforms and comprehensive modernization in recent years.

Today, the export geography of Uzbek cotton has expanded significantly, with cotton-textile products now being exported to more than 80 countries.

The meeting highlighted that introducing standards based on decent labour principles, environmental sustainability, and international technical and production requirements is essential for increasing export volumes, attracting more investment, and engaging global textile brands more actively in the sector.

During the meeting, the parties discussed expanding the application of BCI standards, which incorporate these international principles. 

In particular, agreement was reached on several issues, including adopting BCI standards as national standards, training national auditors, implementing a joint project to reduce certification costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, and exploring options to shorten certification assessments.

Plans to broaden Uzbekistan’s participation in international exhibitions and sustainable textile forums were also highlighted. Expanding cooperation with global brands and hosting international events in Uzbekistan with their involvement were identified as promising avenues.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its readiness to continue supporting joint initiatives in the future.