On September 8 this year, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov held online consultations with the heads of USA and EU countries diplomatic missions, as well as representatives of international organizations and financial institutions in Uzbekistan. They discussed prospects for cooperation in terms of the reformation of the cotton and textile industries of the Republic.

Foreign partners highly appreciated measures taken by the Government to modernize the cotton industry through the introduction of water-efficient processes in cotton growing and mechanization of its collecting, as well as consistent switching to market mechanisms to attract workers to cotton-picking seasonal works. Thus, in 2019, Syrdarya, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, and Tashkent regions launched a program to increase the mechanization rate of cotton picking with a view to spread this practice to other regions of Uzbekistan.

According to foreign diplomats and development partners, another achievement in the reformation of this industry is the cancellation of the state order for raw cotton, which provides for free market pricing in the cotton market and favorable conditions for the development of the private sector in this industry.

The attendees highlighted a significant progress in building up value chains in the textile sector and the transition from the export of raw cotton to the production and export of finished textile products with high added value. At the same time, there is a widening of use of the cluster production system. The number of cotton clusters first created in Uzbekistan in 2017 has increased to 75.

They also appreciated efforts to establish a constructive dialogue with the Cotton Campaign and other non-profit non-governmental organizations on the elimination of forced labor and increase of transparency in the textile supply chain.

The consultations involved exchange of views on further prospects for cooperation to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of Uzbek textiles in the international market, including through the introduction of generally accepted industry standards for responsible cotton production, the creation of a system of continuous reporting on measures taken to reform the country's textile industry and increase transparency in all levels of the production cycle.

The event resulted in an agreement to create a permanent platform for joint discussion of issues of mutual interest under the cooperation in the designated areas.