Opening the event, Tanzila Narbayeva stressed that Uzbekistan highly appreciates cooperation with BCI, especially support in improving the sustainability of agriculture, promoting the principles of decent work and strengthening transparency in the supply chains of cotton and textiles.
It was noted that the cotton and textile sector is one of the key sectors of the country's economy and has undergone fundamental transformations in recent years due to large-scale reforms. Today, the geography of exports of Uzbek cotton and textile products covers more than 80 countries.
To further expand exports, attract investment, and involve major international brands, the introduction of standards based on the principles of environmental sustainability, decent work, and compliance with international technical and production requirements is of particular importance.
Issues of wider application of BCI standards were discussed at the meeting. In particular, an agreement was reached to consider the possibility of: adopting BCI standards as a national standard; training national auditors in this area; implementing a joint project to reduce certification costs for small and medium-sized businesses and shorten the assessment time for issuing a certificate.
The promising areas of cooperation are the expansion of Uzbekistan's participation in international exhibitions and forums on sustainable textiles, the development of cooperation with global brands, as well as the organization of international events in Uzbekistan with their participation.
Following the meeting, the parties expressed their willingness to further deepen cooperation and implement new joint initiatives.
