Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 14 October, Tanzila Narbayeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairwoman of the National Commission on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labor, met with Rachel Beckett, manager of the non-governmental non-profit organization Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).

During the meeting, it was emphasized that due to the large-scale work to combat forced labor in Uzbekistan, the boycott of Uzbek cotton was lifted, which further expanded the opportunities for its products to enter the world market.

During the dialogue, covering constructive and practical issues, the prospects for expanding cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Better Cotton Initiative were discussed.

In particular, an agreement was reached on the introduction of international standards for Uzbek cotton clusters, their respective licensing and, among the first, the introduction of a traceability system on domestic textiles. In addition, the parties agreed to establish a BCI representative office in Tashkent in the near future.

As a side note, BCI certifies the entire production process from cotton field to sale. The organization has over a thousand members, including over 80 of the world’s largest brands such as H&M, Gap, IKEA, Levi Strauss, Zara, Hugo Boss, Adidas, Puma.