The ICAC Issues the Final Statement from Its 82nd Plenary Meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

 

For Immediate Release

Date Posted: November 14, 2024

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has released the Final Statement from its 82nd Plenary Meeting, which was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 30 to October 3, 2024. The Final Statement is now being translated into Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish; the documents will be posted on www.icac.org in the coming days.

Plenary Meeting Summary and Introduction
“Global Partnerships to Promote Innovation in the Cotton and Textile Value Chains”
  1. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) met in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 30 to October 3, 2024, for its 82nd Plenary Meeting since the establishment of the Committee in 1939. It was attended by 460 persons, including representatives from 15 Member governments, nine international organizations, and seven non-member countries.
ICAC Secretariat Reports
  1. Executive Director’s Report: The report highlighted ICAC’s accomplishments and future work that included discussions about ICAC’s data and publications, record high participation in the Committee on Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC), agricultural development projects, textiles, sustainability, and policy engagement to give a voice to cotton and other natural fibers. These efforts included building and strengthening collaborative relationships throughout the global cotton textile value chain and extensive consultations with private sector stakeholders through the activities of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC). The Executive Director also highlighted efforts to work with Member countries in cotton textile value-chain development, investment, and on a series of major events that not only included the ICAC Plenary and the World Cotton Research Conference but in organizing the first-ever World Cotton Day in Africa.
  1. Developing the Textiles Value Chain in Cotton-Rich Countries underscores the need for cotton-rich countries to shift from raw cotton exports to developing strong textile value chains, thus unlocking immense economic potential and job creation. Value addition can transform $1 of raw cotton into $10 of high-value products, helping to create millions of jobs. Establishing textile parks, ensuring access to affordable financing, and securing reliable energy supplies are essential for a thriving textile sector.
  1. Gene Editing in Cotton Farming: The session showed the potential of gene editing and regenerative agriculture in addressing climate-related challenges and enhancing cotton productivity. The integration of advanced technologies such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and RNA interference (RNAi), combined with a focus on soil health, offers powerful tools for improving cotton farming’s resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. These innovations have the potential to improve crop yields while supporting farmers in adapting to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water and fertilizer use.
  1. World Cotton Market: Key points from the 2023/24 season include a decrease in global cotton production alongside increased consumption, leading to lower global ending stocks. In the upcoming 2024/25 season, consumption is projected to decline, while production will trail consumption slightly. This may lead to a buildup in global cotton stocks, especially if demand weakens further. Overall, global mill use is anticipated to continue its downward trend, keeping prices depressed throughout the 2024/25 season. The presentation concluded by noting that if demand does not recover, global ending stocks could increase, putting downward pressure on cotton prices.
  2. World Cotton Trade and Specialty Cotton Report: The report provided comprehensive data on the 2023/24 season, a period in which global markets stabilized as inflation declined. Notably, global consumption increased by 5.67% while Brazil surpassed the USA as the world’s top exporter for the first time. Specialty cotton now accounts for about 31% of global production, identity programs for 29%, and long- and extra-long staple cotton increased by 46%, mostly in Egypt, China, the USA, and India, with all four countries posting increases in production in 2022/23.
  1. World Textile Fiber Demand: Long-term growth in fiber demand is driven by rising populations and incomes. Cotton demand has declined in recent years while synthetic fibers have seen substantial growth due to their lower costs and greater versatility. Price volatility has also negatively impacted cotton’s competitiveness and shared projections through 2030, indicating a gradual decline in cotton’s market share. Between geopolitical concerns, increasing environmental regulations, sustainability requirements, and a booming resale and secondhand clothing market, it’s clear we are in a transformative period for the industry, with far-reaching implications for future fiber demand and market trends.
  2. ICAC Researcher of the Year: There were two ICAC Researchers of the Year: Dr David Fang from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a leader in cotton fiber technology, and Dr Keerti Rathore from Texas A&M University, whose work on the CRISPR/Cas9 system is cited worldwide. Both scientists thanked the ICAC and everyone who has supported their research over the years.
Country Reports
  1. ICAC’s approach to Country Reports is designed to encourage more interaction and discussion. Governments and international organizations were asked to submit comprehensive reports to the Secretariat; they were posted on the ICAC web site in advance of the Plenary. Written reports were provided to the ICAC by Argentina, Australia, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Greece, Japan, Kenya, Taiwan, and the USA. During the meeting, report summaries were given by the Delegates from India, the USA, Türkiye, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Taiwan, South Africa, the EU, and Kenya.
Increasing Transparency 
  1. Building Trust through Digitization — Traceability and transparency will inevitably play a crucial role in advancing sustainable cotton production. There is a need for global collaboration, equitable regulations, and innovative technological solutions to meet rising consumer expectations regarding social and environmental impact and new regulatory requirements. The future of cotton lies in a transparent, traceable, and sustainable supply chain that meets market demand by supporting ethical production and fair trade.
Cotton’s Role in Fighting Climate Change
  1. Regenerative cotton farming has significant, if not game-changing, potential for capturing and storing carbon to mitigate climate change. Multiple innovative solutions are being investigated, from transgenic technologies to precisely tailored farming practices. There is a need for collaborative efforts among farmers, researchers, and institutions, all of which are essential to realizing the full potential of regenerative agriculture in improving sustainability and resilience in cotton farming systems. Genetics, genomics, and breeding can address the challenges posed by climate change in cotton production. It will require international collaboration, innovative technologies, and utilizing the genetic diversity of wild species to enhance cotton resilience and sustainability in the face of global climate challenges.
Assessing Cotton and Its Fiber Market Competitors 
  1. Regulatory pressures and market demand for transparency and sustainability are growing. There are several key areas where the cotton industry must innovate, including quality standardization, integration with synthetic fibers, sustainable dyeing practices, and competitive marketing strategies. It is critical to adapt to new regulatory requirements and consumer preferences to maintain cotton’s relevance in the global market, and continue research and development in cotton processing, focusing on blending technologies, spinning efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It is crucial to enhance global collaboration to promote certified sustainable cotton programs and improve market access for organic and recycled cotton and engaging in strategic marketing campaigns to improve cotton’s image — particularly regarding its environmental benefits and recyclability.
PSAC Recommendations on Building Traceability
  1. The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) during the year studied proposed and the existing regulations surrounding the reporting of traceability of fibers and any differences in the requirements for man-made fibers and for cotton. Based on multiple presentations organized by the PSAC from various experts throughout 2024, all four PSAC committees debated this topic. Based on these discussions, the PSAC Executive Committee have compiled a PSAC final statement for the year 2024: “The finding of the PSAC is that cotton is subject to the same or similar regulations as other man-made fibers in respect of basic traceability requirements. However, the PSAC notes that some significant factors are omitted and the PSAC is concerned that several major factors must be fully considered and implemented to truly create a level playing field between cotton and synthetic fibers. This specifically includes the modification to the proposed life cycle assessment of all fibers to be from the “origin to full biodegradability.” The PSAC also urges member governments to consider the social economic impact of all and any regulation, and to cotton, as it is very often the only source of income for many poor households and represents large percentage of the support to the economies of many developing nations. The PSAC looks forward to supporting the efforts of the ICAC in promoting global cotton consumption.
Other Major Discussion Issues
  1. Cotton could be negatively affected by pending legislation. There is a complex landscape of international environmental policies impacting the cotton textile trade. Legislation in multiple regions could have a very negative impact on cotton and other natural fibers. The “Make the Label Count” campaign is a crucial initiative to address these issues and promote the sustainability and social benefits of natural fiber production, including cotton. The ICAC has taken a leadership position in the effort to ensure cotton has a level playing field and is working closely with industry allies and stakeholders to ensure natural fibers are treated accurately in any new regulations.
  2. Cotton is making strides toward women’s empowerment in the value chain. There has been collaborative action to close the gender gap in the cotton industry, but much more needs to be done. Empowering women is not only a matter of equity but also essential for achieving sustainable growth, productivity, and innovation within the sector. Women account for 43% of cotton farmers worldwide, so consistent effort, regular data collection, and increased funding are needed to ensure meaningful progress.
  3. Better data leads to greater trust. To improve data quality and trust, the industry must enhance trust in data collection through better training, consistent protocols, and incentives for accurate reporting. Cost-effective solutions could include incentive-based models, donor funding, and digital verification tools to reduce overall verification costs while maintaining data integrity. Success requires a focus on piloting digital solutions, like blockchain and AI, in small-scale implementations to assess cost-effectiveness before broader adoption, and we must develop incentive models that align data collection with economic benefits and sustainability goals, ensuring active participation from farmers.
  1. ICAC’s role in the global promotion of cotton. The ICAC focuses on emphasizing the positive aspects of cotton rather than attacking competitors. Use of social media over the last five years has given the ICAC a platform to present positive information about cotton to more than 10,000 followers — poverty alleviation, women’s empowerment, biodegradability — and the organization leads the global celebration of cotton on October 7, World Cotton Day, every year. In 2024, the ICAC co-hosted World Cotton Day on October 7, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin. This was the first time the celebration was held in a country rather than at an international organization, and the first time it was held in the Global South.
  2. Cotton-rich countries could greatly enhance their revenue and employment by processing their fiber rather than exporting it. Discussion in Tashkent underscored the need for cotton-rich countries to shift from raw cotton exports to developing strong textile value chains, thus unlocking immense economic potential and job creation. Value addition can transform $1 of raw cotton into $10 of high-value products, helping to create millions of jobs. Establishing textile parks, ensuring access to affordable financing, policy and institutional reform, and securing reliable energy supplies are essential for a thriving textile sector. ICAC has started providing support to member countries as they look to develop these value chains.
  3. The industry needs to trade cotton based on verifiable, machine-tested fiber characteristics. The Committee for the Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC) continues its work to enhance the quality and reliability of instrument testing worldwide. Participation in the CSITC round trials reached a record high in 2024, with 164 instruments evaluated, reflecting growing interest from laboratories. However, expanding membership and participation remain a challenge, particularly in spinning mills, due to limited understanding of the benefits of quality assurance through CSITC Round Trials. Moving forward, targeted strategies — including working with spinning associations and increasing awareness among stakeholders — will be essential to boost participation and achieve broader global adoption for reliable cotton testing to improve cotton trade and ultimately contributing to the competitiveness and sustainability of the global cotton industry.
 World Café: Building a Resilient Global Cotton Textile Value Chain
  1. A new format for the World Café debuted at the 81st Plenary Meeting. A new format for the World Café debuted at the 81st Plenary Meeting. As a result of positive feedback, the new format was used again in Tashkent. In the past, all attendees answered the same questions; in the new format, attendees were polled in advanced and chose 10 different topics to discuss. The topics they discussed were: How can we better manage price volatility in cotton? How can we minimize the environmental footprint of cotton cultivation? How can cotton farmers optimize water usage to ensure sustainability? What are the main benefits of producing organic cotton, and what challenges does it need to be overcome? How can the cotton industry communicate its ESG efforts and achievements to consumers effectively? What steps can be taken to boost market share for cotton? What can be done to mitigate the impact of regulations on natural fibers, in terms of competition with synthetic fibers? How can we diversify the use of cotton beyond traditional clothing and textiles to tap into new market segments? In what ways has the involvement of women in cotton farming enhanced community development and family well-being? How can countries identify and target the most suitable funding sources and grant opportunities for cotton-related projects? After discussing for an hour, a representative from each table presented a brief summary of their discussions to the entire audience. The format of this session took advantage of having hundreds of professionals from throughout the cotton textile value chain, encouraging them to interact with each other, share opinions, and search for solutions collaboratively.
World Cotton Research Conference
  1. The 8th World Cotton Research Conference, WCRC-8, was held immediately after the Plenary Meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from October 3 to 7, 2024.
2025 Technical Seminar Topic
  1. The Steering Committee decided to hold the 2024 Technical Seminar on the topic of ‘‘Gene Editing in Cotton Farming.”

Future Plenary Meeting

  1. The Committee has accepted an invitation from Tanzania to host the 83rd Plenary Meeting during the second or third week of November 2025.
Recognition of Uzbekistan, the ICAC Plenary Host Country
The Committee thanks the Government and private sector of Uzbekistan for hosting the 82nd Plenary Meeting. The Organizing Committee in Tashkent did an exceptional job providing for the needs of all delegates and facilitating productive discussions, as well as their extensive efforts to support the ICAC.
_________________________________________________
About the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming, investing, and trading countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping member countries maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international significance. In addition, Members can take advantage of the ICAC’s global network of cotton researchers, whose expertise covers the supply chain from farm to textile manufacturing and have free access to its cutting-edge technologies like the voice-based app and virtual technology cotton training program. Committed to ensuring cotton’s continued sustainability, the ICAC is the only intergovernmental commodity body covering cotton that is recognized by the United Nations. For more information, please visit www.icac.org, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Dr Mansurbek Muminov is a senior scientist at the Scientific Research Institute of Fiber Crops in Uzbekistan. His efforts have focused on basic cotton ginning and spinning, and he has authored more than 10 comprehensive research papers in those areas.

 

Dr. Mansurbek Mo'minov is the Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs and Innovation at the Scientific Research Institute of Fiber Crops in Uzbekistan.

During her 30 years’ experience as an International Marketing Manager in the Australian cotton industry, Eimear has managed cotton lint sales and all aspects of the export supply chain. Eimear has served as a director for the Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA).  As one of the first female Directors of the International Cotton Association (ICA), Eimear is a founding member of the ICA’s Women In Cotton (WiC) initiative that aims to improve diversity and the role of women in the global cotton industry. Recently appointed as the ICA’s representative to the PSAC Merchants Committee for the ICAC, and the current Vice Chair of the PSAC, she works to serve the cotton community to promote knowledge sharing and innovation. Her passion lies in connecting global buyers to a sustainable and traceable cotton supply chain and to promoting the good cotton story for the benefit of all.

 

Dr. Keshav R. Kranthi, Ph.D is the Chief Scientist at the International Cotton Advisory Com­mittee (ICAC), Washington, DC. Before joining the ICAC, he served as the Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur, India, from 2008 to 2017. Dr. Kranthi has thirty-five years of experience as a cotton scientist. He received a gold medal in his Ph.D. in 1991 and has been honored with more than a dozen awards, including the Best CPP Program Award for Research Leadership by the Renewable Natural Resources Research International, UK; the ICAC Researcher of the Year Award in 2009; the Vasantrao Naik Smruti Pratisthan Award in 2004; the ICAR National Award for Leader of Best Team Research in 2006; Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2009; the ISCI Recognition Award in 2010; Krishi Gaurav Award in 2010; Bhumi Nirman Award in 2011; ISCI Fellow in 2017; the Plant Protection Recognition Award in 2016 by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Suresh Kotak Global Cotton Award in 2023 and the CRDA life time achievement Award in 2024. Dr. Kranthi has four patents granted in South Africa, Mexico, China, and Uzbekistan, and six patent applications in India. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research papers, 20 books/handbooks/manuals, 17 book chapters, and more than 50 popular articles. Dr. Kranthi has presented invited talks and conducted training sessions in more than 40 countries. His research citations are in excess of 6,500. As the chief principal investigator, he coordinated and led more than 35 externally funded international collaboration research projects.

Dr. Charudatta Mayee, Ph.D is a distinguished Indian agricultural scientist and administrator with over five decades of contributions to Indian agriculture. Dr. Mayee currently serves as Adjunct Professor at IARI, New Delhi, and several ICAR institutions and universities. Dr Mayee served as Vice Chancellor of MAU Parbhani, Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (ICAR-CICR), Nagpur, and Agriculture Commissioner for the Government of India. Dr Mayee served as Vice President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) India. Dr. C.D. Mayee has received numerous accolades spanning five decades, recognizing his transformative contributions to agricultural science. He is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and has received lifetime achievement awards from multiple institutions. His early career was marked by the Prof. M.J. Narasimhan Academic Award (1974) and V.P. Gokhale Award (1998), followed by national honors like the Vasantrao Naik Krishi Award (2002), ICAR Outstanding Team Research Award (2003), and Dr. B. Vishwanath Award (2005). He received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (2008), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (2011), and Indian Phytopathological Society (2017), among others. Four universities conferred Honorary Doctorates (D.Sc.) for his pioneering work (2009–2023). Recent distinctions include the  Best Cotton Scientist Award (2022, Cotton Association of India), Krishi Maharshi for Cotton R&D (2024) and the winner of the ICAC Researcher of the Year Award 2025.

Dr. Khalid Mahmood is the Co-Founder of SAWiE, where he has been instrumental in developing digital farm advisory and farm data platforms supporting over 10,000 farmers in Pakistan, improving traceability and transparency across agricultural supply chains. He is leading the development of first-mile traceability systems and the TRUE Cotton platform, connecting farmers with sustainable global textile supply chains.

He also serves as Head of Partnerships at the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS), where he leads strategic collaborations to position soil health as a critical climate mitigation solution, linking soil management with carbon sequestration, water quality, air quality, and biodiversity restoration.

Trained as an Agricultural Economist (PhD, University of Göttingen, Germany), Dr. Mahmood combines strong scientific expertise with practical innovation to address global challenges in food security, ESG reporting, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture.

His past work includes leadership in research programs on carbon reduction in rice and livestock systems, and collaboration with leading institutions such as Rothamsted Research, AHDB UK, and the Thünen Institute (Germany).

Dr. Mahmood is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and has contributed to international research and knowledge networks including IFCN and UPSIGN.

Recognized among the Net Zero 50 Leaders, he continues to advance international partnerships that place soil at the centre of regenerative agriculture, natural capital development, and ecosystem restoration.

 

Dr Olivier Zieschank studied Management at the university of Lausanne, where he graduated in 2005. Until 2010, he worked in a Swiss-based start-up that specialized in negotiating cell tower lease agreements, where he became associate director. In 2010, he returned to university and studied applied economics in Neuchatel, Switzerland. He wrote his PhD in Economics at the University of Freiberg, Germany, where he developed a theory of organization. Mr Zieschank was appointed Economist at the ITMF in August 2017 and became director in January 2021.

Ashwin Chandran holds a Bachelors Degree in Textile Technology from UMIST, UK and a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, USA.

He is currently the Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and it’s subsidiary - Cotton Development and Research Association – CITI CDRA. CITI-CDRA works with Indian cotton farmers and collaborates with government bodies and research institutions to improve cotton productivity, promote farmer welfare and expand the knowledge of Indian cotton farmers on the subjects of sustainability, traceability and meeting compliance and certification requirements.

He is the Chairman & Managing Director of Precot Limited, a manufacturer of yarns, threads and cotton based non-woven hygiene products.

He is the Chairman of the Indian Textile Sector Skill Council, a member of the Council of Administration of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) and is a past Chairman of the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA).

Mr. Shreyans Gupta is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), currently serving as First Secretary at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C. In his current role, he oversees critical portfolios within the Income-tax Overseas Unit (ITOU) and the Commerce Wing, facilitating bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Throughout his career, Mr. Gupta has held diverse positions involving both the implementation and policy-making aspects of Indian taxation. His expertise spans complex tax audits, financial and criminal investigations, International Taxation and administration of core IT platforms/infrastructure. He has also served as a delegate of India to various international tax organizations, contributing to high-level discourse on global tax cooperation frameworks

Eric Trachtenberg is the Executive Director of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Before coming to ICAC, he oversaw more than $700 million in programs to improve food security, support agricultural transformation, and strengthen land productivity at the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

His earlier background includes service with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in the Russian Federation, China, and Taiwan where he resolved agricultural market access issues totaling more than $1.3 billion, designed and led investment facilitation initiatives that generated more than $10 billion in new activity, and oversaw export development programs worth $10 million.

He has a Masters in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University, a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and Bachelors degrees in Government and Economics from Cornell University.

Pia Terasa joined the textile machinery manufacturer Saurer over 25 years ago. She is responsible for marketing and communications at the group level. Coming originally from a non-textile background, market intelligence and business development have played major roles throughout her career. Her current main “hobby” is closely monitoring development of the textile recycling industry and circular economy.

Dr. Md. Fakhre Alam Ibne Tabib is the former Executive Director of the Cotton Development Board of Bangladesh, with over 32 years of experience in cotton production, research, and development. He has demonstrated strong leadership and communication skills in engaging with national and international stakeholders in the cotton sector.

His expertise spans Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Crop Management (ICM), and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) with a focus on sustainable, regenerative, and organic cotton production. His research interests include high-density planting systems, planting geometry, intercropping, and innovative cropping patterns. Dr. Tabib is also proficient in ICT applications, project planning and monitoring, and scientific report writing.

Dr. Tabib has played a significant leadership role within the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), serving as Vice-Chair (2023–2024) and Chair (2024–2025) of its Standing Committee. The ICAC is an association of governments of cotton-producing, consuming, and trading countries, recognized by the United Nations as the international commodity body for cotton and related products.

In addition, he serves as Vice President of the Ecological Society of Bangladesh and contributes actively to the executive bodies of other social and scientific organizations. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cotton Cropping Systems in 2013.

Dr. Tabib has participated in numerous international programs, conferences, and study visits related to cotton across countries including the USA, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, India, Egypt, the Philippines, South Korea, and Malaysia. He has published 12 scientific papers and several articles on cotton in reputed national and international journals and magazines. He is also an active member of multiple professional associations and networks worldwide.

Dr. Elsie Sia Kanza is the current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States of America and Mexico. Prior to that role, Ambassador Kanza served as Special Advisor to the President of the World Economic Forum, and, before that, Head of Africa and Member of Executive Committee for 10 years championing growth and development in Africa leveraging public private collaboration. In 2015, She was awarded a Doctorate in Business Administration (honoris causa) by the University of Strathclyde for the transformative impact achieved in Africa.

Ambassador Kanza also served in the government for a decade and a half as economic advisor to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, as well as in various capacities with the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Tanzania.

In 2008, Ambassador Kanza became an Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow, and in 2011 a WEF Young Global Leader. She was also nominated as a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow and highlighted as one of Africa’s 50 most powerful women by Forbes in 2020. Additionally, she has served on various boards, including those of the African Leadership Institute - South Africa, Mercy Corps Europe, The Nature Conservancy Africa Council, and the Uongozi Institute.

Ambassador Kanza obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the United States International University – Africa in Business Administration and later graduated with a Master's degree in finance from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and an MA in Development Economics, Center for Development Economics, Williams College, USA.

Alison Ward has over 30 years of international experience in sustainability and corporate affairs. Alison is the CEO of CottonConnect, where she leads a team of over 100 employees, impacting the lives of over 800,000 cotton farmers in India, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh.  Under Alison’s leadership the organization: drives supply chain transparency connecting sustainable fibres from farm to store; focuses on the rights and skills of women in supply chains through pioneering gender programmes; and continues to develop innovations at a farm level. She leads cotton strategies and programmes for global brands and retailers.

Previously Alison worked with Mondelez International and Kraft Foods and was the Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at Cadbury.

With a mission to drive scalable change, Alison served as a Member of the Sustainable Cotton Steering Committee for Textile Exchange.  She sat on the Sustainability Advisory Committee for the London Olympic Games and has been a Coach and Mentor to commercial teams at WWF and the Ethical Trade Initiative. Alison is also a Life fellow of the RSA- Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Alison has completed the Senior Executive Programme at Ashridge Business School and the Business & Sustainability Programme at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. She holds a BA Hons in English from the University of Birmingham.

 

 

With more than 43 years of experience in textiles and fibre processing, Marinus has extensive commercial knowledge of all facets of the cotton production pipeline from field to fabric, specialising in yarn manufacturing and quality. Amongst others, he is a certified quality expert and is the current chair of ICAC’s Task Force for the Commercial Standardisation of Instrument Testing of Cotton. He is also an executive member of the Australian Cotton Ginners Association and the ITMF International Committee on Cotton Testing Methods. Marinus is also a member of the ITMF Spinners Committee and the Cotton Classing Association of Australia, and is the Australian fibre quality technical expert.
He has authored many articles and technical reports and has been invited to present at numerous domestic and international conferences. He has managed to secure a large and diverse number of projects, service agreements, and commission cotton textile processing work. He has won many awards, including the prestigious Australian Cotton Researcher of the Year Award.

Navdeep Singh Sodhi began his career at India’s largest cotton-textile company and has 35+ years of international experience in mill operations and management consulting. His expertise includes strategic policy, technology and international trade and investment. With experience in over 50 countries, he advises an international clientele and has conducted multiple international studies on the cotton-textile value chain. These include the global benchmarking study to evaluate the competitiveness of India’s textile industry for the Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL). He contributed to the formulation of the perspective plan for the Indian textile engineering industry (TEI). Mr Sodhi has been supporting the campaign for transformation of cotton in C-4 Countries + Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa and led the flagship study in West Africa commissioned by IFC (World Bank Group) that was recently presented at the World Cotton Day 2023 commemorated under the auspices of UNIDO in Vienna. Mr Sodhi is a partner with Gherzi Textil Organisation, Switzerland, and a Chartered Fellow (C.Text FTI) of the Textile Institute in Manchester, England.

Experienced professional with over 42 years of expertise in textile plant management, business establishment, plant turnaround, managing turnkey projects and overseeing large textile operations across three continents. Successfully initiated new factories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North America. Has been business head responsible for P&L of large textile operation in Canada and USA.

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Textile Technology from PSG College of Technology, India.

Key areas of expertise include:

  • Turnkey project management
  • Turnaround of large textile plants in diverse geographical locations
  • Establishment and management of businesses in various regions
  • Strategic, financial, and marketing planning and execution for textile plants
  • Product development
  • Customer relationship management

Name: Mary Concilia Anchang
Company: Onambele Anchang & Associates
Country: Cameroon
Position: Managing Partner
Website: www.oaalawfirm.com

Executive Chair

The African Chamber of Trade and Commerce ACC

Email: oaalawpartners2@gmail.com, africanchambernetwork@gmail.com

Websites www.africanchamber-abo.org  www.ficota.org

Called to the Cameroon Bar in 1993, Barrister Mary Concilia Anchang epse Onambele, is the managing partner at Onambele Anchang & Associates (OAALAW). She demonstrates consistency and dedication in 32 years of National and international legal work and advocacy. Renown for her legal prowess, her ability to delve into unconventional and controversial topics, has earned her access to several platforms at all levels, in the society. In her persuasive urge to address stubborn societal problems in the continent, she has created several tools to express her opinion and drive policy in a wide range of business sectors. She addresses legal, social and economic problems, with the perspective to contribute in crafting novel schemes, policies and practices to oblige relevance and impact for the welfare and livelihood of communities.

Her law practice, a full-service corporate law firm, serves a broad range of businesses in various industry sectors. Client satisfaction is pivotal at OAALA. Her firm is one of the most sought-after contemporary lawyers in the continent of Africa. Passionate, engaging and focus driven, her peers revere her resolve to address challenging matters in a friendly and dialogue mode. Her brilliance, and keen eye for detail earns great recognition from her clients.

She is the pioneer African IP lawyer, accredited with the African organization of Intellectual & Industrial property (OAPI) with jurisdiction in 17 countries since 1994.

In 1998, curious and concerned about Africa`s significant dependence on foreign intellectual property assets and imports of goods and services into the continent, she founded; “The Foundation for the Promotion of Inventions, Innovations, and Artistic Designs” (FPI) to promote research and development for African discoveries, talents, traditional Knowledge and know-how for validation of discoveries for local use and exports to global markets.

Retained in 1998, to advise the Cameroon Association of Inventors and Innovators, she represented a medicinal cure for hepatitis, known under the trademark ''HEPASOR,” at d the International Exhibition Fair (INPEX) in 1999 in Pittsburgh, where FPI met with Dr. Nakammatz, the renown Japanese inventor of Viagra.

Then followed, the BBC Tomorrow’s World London Exhibition Fair in 1999, where FPI received an award from Mr. John Trevors, the renowned British inventor of the “Touch lamp” for her exhibitions.

From 2001 -2006, she accompanied one of Africa`s most revolutionary, controversial and nonconventional research initiatives in HIV /AIDS for therapeutic vaccines. This discovery, led by one of Africa`s most renown Professors, a Surgeon and international award price winner for research in the treatment of retrovirus for Burkitt’s Cancer, Sickle cell and HIV /AIDS. At a time when HIV/AIDs was ravaging lives in the Continent of Africa, she played a very compelling advocacy role at all fronts, while advising on the patentability, design and trademark ownership of the Vaccine process across the globe.

As Cofounder of the Cameroon National Committee of the International Chamber of Trade & Commerce (ICC Cameroon) in 2021, she stunned the continent, in 2006, with her nomination by the World Business Council, of The International Chamber of Trade & Commerce (ICC) Paris, as the pioneer, African, female country, court member, at the ICC International Court of Arbitration, since its creation in 2023. A mandate she held 4 years..

From 2004 -2014, as a member of the ICC Paris Intellectual property (IP) and the Arbitration commissions, she contributed with experts from governments, Civil society, multinationals, intra governmental organizations, institutions and businesses, through successive annual COP Conferences, to address policy reviews on the global climate change Agenda, that lead to the signing of, the Paris convention in 2015 on climate change.

Coupled with her legal practice, she founded & Chairs “The African Chamber of Trade & Commerce” (ACC), a non-profit and non-governmental, private sector chamber, aimed at using Public, Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a strategic tool to build sustainable and resilient infrastructures. The aim is to avoid duplication and stagnation for gainful entrepreneurial business practices.

Focal on the ACC agenda, is her advocacy for Tripartite Partnerships, that would engage expertise in, North/South, South/South and North/North business ventures. This should invariably contribute towards impactful and traceable development in local African communities. Through this initiative, she pledges to bring her expertise and knowledge into a project, she is deeply passionate about, and believes could shift paradigms in the  continent.. That is; “Institutional Advocacy for 'Africa's Socio-Economic Development."

Convinced of the need to promote IP asset ownership in Africa for improved wealth for entrepreneurial self-reliant opportunities, she believes validating African inventions and innovations, would pave the way for IP ownership and knowledge transfer for capital markets.

She has since 2018 created “The International Forum for cotton, textiles, accessories & Fashion (FICOTA) to address the African Cotton value chain and supply chains, as pivotal for talents to create wealth and job opportunities in Africa.

In prelude to the 4th edition of FICOTA, coming up in November 2026, in Cairo, Egypt, she will be Speaking at the ICAC 83rd plenary conference coming up in Tanzania in November 2025, on the role of National policies for African textiles.

Transforming Cotton into Textile and things in Africa is a vision, FICOTA promotes for optimization and industrialization of African cotton and Textiles. The game changer for. (www.africanchamber-abo.org) FICOTA is created to facilitate sustainability and optimization in the African cotton value and supply chains from “Seed to Fashion” or from “Farm to Market” through value addition. (www.ficota.org ) The focus is on adapting ecosystems for Africa`s industrialization in the textiles industry.

The plurality, multi-culturalism and multidimensionality of ACC, provides a structure with the unique capacity for institutions and stakeholders to create adaptive business models, based on sector needs of partners. The purpose is to facilitate harmonious growth with efficient ecosystems, to implement attainable goals, through value addition, in local value and supply chains.

Accolades and Publications:

2016, OAALAW won the “AI African Award of Excellence.

2018, Recognized amongst 100 of the finest professional Women in a book titled “Women Pioneer In Dispute Resolutions” by Arbitral Women.

2019 Published an article on IP Funding: A Key to Entrepreneurial Development Through IP Asset Ownership in Africa in the London based “Women's IP Magazine

2020/21, Profiled in the Magazine “Rising Women”.

2023, Appointed Member of the International Cotton Advisory Committee/Private Sector Advisory Committee (PSAC)

2023, she was nominated as Executive member of the African Private Sector Summit. (APSS)

2024 she organized the 3rd Edition of the International Forum for Cotton, Textiles, Accessories & Fashion (FICOTA) in the sea site Ocean city, of Kribi, Cameroon.

2025, she published an article on “The Mystery, Power, Purpose and Ownership of Talent & Knowledge” in the London based “Women's IP Magazine”

She was nominated and ranked as the No. 6 in the Policy and Advocacy category for the Top 100 Influential Women Leaders in IP Law.

She is a current member of several association International Trademark Association (INTA), American Bar Association, Arbitral Women, Association of OAPI IP Agents, (AMOAPI), Foundation for the Promotion of Inventors ,Innovators  (FPI), Maman Eucharist du Mont Febe (MEMO) African Private Summit (APPSS), Africa US international Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AfUSA)  ACC and other

She enjoys travelling, music, sports, praying, and supporting charities.

 

Besim Özek

Strategy & Business Development Director

Following his graduation from Tarsus American College and Cukurova University Mechanical Engineering, he has taken a large and vital business role in Logistics and Purchasing Departments for over 20 years.

He is now Strategy and Business Development  Director in BOSSA which is one of the largest Denim Producers is Turkey. He has been very involved in Sustainable Textile Production.

He had been active presenting the company in;

  • Turkish Exporters Assembly, ITHIB (Member of Board)
  • Turkish Cotton Textile Manufacturer ‘s Union (Member of Board)
  • Turkish National Cotton Council (Member of Board)
  • The Union of Chambers and Commodity, Turkish Textile Industry Assembly

Twitter Besim Ozek:      @besimozek

Linkedin Besim Ozek:    besim-ozek

SIDDHARTHA RAJAGOPAL, Executive Director – TEXPROCIL

Dr. Siddhartha Rajagopal is the Executive Director of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL). He holds a PhD in Management Studies and has nearly four decades of experience in international trade in textiles and clothing.

Over his career, he has worked across the entire textile value chain—from fibre to fashion—and has been part of several Government of India delegations and negotiating groups, including bilateral engagements with the USA, the European Union, and consultations at the WTO.

Dr. Rajagopal has played a key role in developing export promotion schemes, market development strategies, and organizing India’s participation in international textile exhibitions and trade delegations. He is currently involved in the implementation of the “Kasturi Cotton India” project in collaboration with the Cotton Corporation of India and the Ministry of Textiles.

Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

Padmini Singla is a career civil servant from India with over two decades of leadership roles in public administration. Currently serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, she spearheads the strategic development and policy framework for Natural Fibres, including Cotton.

An alumna of Delhi School of Economics, she holds an Executive Master’s from EPFL, Switzerland.