83rd Plenary Meeting

16 November 2025 - 20 November 2025 , Malaika Beach Resort, Mwanza, Tanzania

Leveraging Sustainable Cotton and Textiles for Rural and Industrial Development

 

 

REGISTRATION (coming soon)

 

PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE 83rd PLENARY MEETING 
(as of 16 June 2025). The time is for Mwanza, Tanzania

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

SUNDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2025

9:00 – 16:30 Registration

9:00 – 10:30

Meeting of the Expert Panel on Social, Environmental and Economic Performance of Cotton Production (SEEP)
Chairman of SEEP: Mr Allan Williams, GM, R&D Investment CRDC. University of Sydney, Australia.

Biography

 

9:00 – 10:30 

Meeting of the Committee on the Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC)
Chairman of CSITC: Dr Marinus (René) van der Sluijs, Principal Consultant, Textile Technical Services. Victoria, Australia.

Biography

10:30 – 12:00

 Meeting of Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC)
Chairman of PSAC: Mr. Bill Ballenden, AFCOT, EU
Biography

 

 

 
13:00 – 14:00 Cotton Leaders Roundtable

 

 

 

M

MONDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2025

8:30 – 16:00 Registration
9:00 – 11:30 First Plenary Session: Inauguration
Master of Ceremony: 
 
  • Welcome remarks
 
  • Approval of the Agenda of the 2024 Plenary Meeting
 
  • Speech by Host country
 
  • Report of the Chairman ad Interim of the Standing Committee, Mr. Jigal Raval, India
    Biography
  • Report of the Executive Director, Mr. Eric Trachtenberg
    Biography
 
  • Recognition of the ICAC Researchers of the Year 2025
 
  • Speeches from the ICAC Panels and Committees
  - Private Sector Advisory Council - PSAC
  - Social, Environmental & Economic Performance - SEEP, Mr. Allan Williams
 
- Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton CSITC, Mr. Marinus (René) van der Sluijs
  - ICRA, Mr. Mohamed Negm
 
  • Vote of Thanks
 
  • Group Photograph
   
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch
   
12:30 – 14:30 Second Plenary Session: Plenary session: Government Member's statement
Chairperson: 

   9:30 – 11:30 Fifth Breakout Session: The Role of National Policy in Developing a Globally Competitive Textile Sector (in English only)
Chairperson: 
  Statements from Member Governments      
14:30 – 15:00 Coffee Break   14:30 – 15:00 Coffee Break
15:00 – 17:00 First Open Session: Technical Seminar
Deep Learning and Sensor Technologies for Automated Detection and Monitoring of Cotton Diseases and Insect Pests		      
18:00 Welcome Reception   18:00 Welcome Reception

 

TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2025

9:30 – 11:30 Second Open Session: Reports from the ICAC Secretariat
Chairperson:
World Cotton Market Outlook, World Cotton Trade and Specialty Cotton
Mrs. Ms. Parkhi Vats, Economic Affairs Officer, ICAC
Government Measures, WTD, Role of Women in the Cotton Sector
Mrs. Ms. Lorena Ruiz, Economist, ICAC
Textiles Strategy: Developing the Textiles Value Chain in Cotton-Rich Countries
Mr. Usman Kanwar, Head of Textiles, ICAC
Global Economics of Cotton Production
Dr. Keshav Kranthi, Chief Scientist, ICAC
ICAC Marketing and Promotion Efforts
Mr. Mike McCue, Director of Communications, ICAC
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 14:30 Third Open Session: Reports from International Organizations on Cotton Initiatives
  WTO
  ITC
  FAO
  UNIDO/UNCTAD/WORLD BANK
14:30 – 15:00 Coffee Break
15:00 – 17:00 Fourth Open Session: Success Stories: Developing a Domestic Textile Industryt
Chairperson: 

   15:00 – 17:00 Second Breakout Session: Inside the Mind of a Buyer: How Brands Choose Their Fibers (in English only)
Chairperson: 
18:00 Dinner      

 

WEDNESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2025

9:30 – 11:30 Fifth Open Session: PSAC session
Strategies to Increase Global Cotton Consumption: How Can Consuming Cotton Help Brands Achieve Their Carbon Emission Goals
Chairperson: 

   9:30 – 11:30 Third Breakout Session: (in English only)
Chairperson: 
  Producers and Ginners Committee      
  Textiles Committee      
  Merchants committee      
  Brands and Retailers Committee      
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch   11:30 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 14:30
Sixth Open Session: The Promise and Potential of Payment for Ecosystem Services - PES

   12:30 – 14:30 Fourth Breakout Session:
CIP: The Cotton Innovation Platform (in English only)
14:30 – 15:00
Coffee Break
   14:30 – 15:00
Coffee Break
12:30 – 14:30 Seventh Open Session: World Café
Increasing Cotton’s Competitiveness in the Fiber Market
18:00 Dinner

 

THURSDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2025

9:30 – 11:30 Meeting of the Steering Committee (Member Governments Only) (closed door meeting)

   9:30 – 11:30 Fifth Breakout Session: (in English only)
Chairperson: 
  Approval of the Standing Committee Officers as per the Recommendations of the Standing Committee      
  Topic of the Technical Seminar for 2026      
  Uncollected Assessments of the ICAC Members      
11:00 – 12:30 Third Plenary Session: Closing ceremony
  Closing comments by the Chair of the Organizing Committee of Tanzania
  Closing Speech by Host country
  Closing Comments by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on behalf of all Delegates
Closing comments by ICAC Executive Director
Mr. Eric Trachtenberg
  Invitation to the 84th Plenary Meeting
  Adjourn