World Cotton Day 2026 Partners Conference to Take Place in Tashkent on October 7
Global cotton and textile stakeholders to gather in Uzbekistan for discussions on trade, innovation, investment and sustainable development
The Government of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), will host the official World Cotton Day 2026 Partners Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on October 7.
The conference will be open to the public. Registration details and additional programme information will be available on the World Cotton Day Partners Conference website, where the draft agenda can also be accessed.
The partner organizations participating in the annual World Cotton Day celebrations since the initiative began in 2019 include the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Held under the theme "Cotton for Good: Building Prosperity Through Trade, Transformation and Partnership," the full-day conference will bring together government officials, international organizations, cotton and textile industry representatives, development institutions, researchers, and other stakeholders representing the global cotton value chain.
“Uzbekistan is proud to host World Cotton Day 2026 and welcome the international cotton and textile community to Tashkent,” said Ibrokhim Y. Abdurakhmonov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Agriculture. “This celebration will provide an important platform for sharing experience, building partnerships and exploring how cotton can contribute to employment, trade, investment, and sustainable economic development.”
The programme will examine how cotton-producing and cotton-consuming countries can strengthen competitiveness, diversify their economies, and build stronger links between agriculture, industry, trade, and innovation.
Planned conference sessions include:
- Trade, Transformation, and Partnership: How Cotton Builds Prosperity
- Building Prosperity Across the Cotton Value Chain
- Trust, Quality, and Responsible Cotton Supply Chains
- Investment, Innovation, and Competitiveness in Cotton Economies
- Carbon Markets and Climate Finance: New Opportunities for Cotton Farmers
Discussions during the event will focus on practical approaches to increasing cotton productivity, expanding domestic processing and textile manufacturing, attracting investment, strengthening relationships with global buyers, improving quality and traceability, and ensuring farmers benefit from opportunities including carbon markets and climate finance.
“World Cotton Day gives the global community an opportunity to recognize cotton’s extraordinary economic and social importance while confronting the challenges facing the sector,” said ICAC Executive Director Eric B. Trachtenberg. “By opening the official celebration to the public, Uzbekistan is enabling more people to participate in this critical international conversation about cotton’s future.”
The programme is expected to include contributions from senior government representatives, international organizations, cotton and textile associations, development finance institutions, and technology providers.
The confirmed agenda, speaker announcements, and additional event updates will be released in the coming weeks.