On December 30, 2019, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov chaired the first meeting of the interagency working group to coordinate work related to the organization of constant, systematic interaction with the Cotton Campaign coalition, human rights organizations and relevant industry associations of the United States.
During the meeting, the positive experience of partnership with the International Labor Organization, thanks to which the international community recognizes the significant progress made by Uzbekistan in the field of the elimination of forced labor, was highlighted.
All participants in the meeting unanimously supported the need to intensify and expand cooperation with international non-governmental and human rights organizations, the Cotton Campaign coalition, relevant industry associations and other institutions, including through regular joint meetings, seminars and conferences on these topics.
The parties also discussed the implementation of the Roadmap to improve the position of Uzbekistan on combating human trafficking and forced labor, as well as further improving the effectiveness of measures taken.
The heads of ministries and departments were instructed to carefully examine each individual case of violations in the framework of the 2019 cotton harvest campaign and to give them a legal assessment, as well as to take measures to hold the relevant officials accountable in accordance with the requirements of the law.
It was also noted to develop sustainable mechanisms to prevent such violations in the future and to intensify interaction in this direction with the general public, as well as international and non-governmental organizations.
