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The international delegation is in Dhaka this week holding high level meetings with government officials, trade unionists and manufacturers. They are there to build relations with key stakeholders and ensure the Accord is coordinated with the National Action Plan as part of the implementation roll out.

The Steering Committee members have met with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), two organisations which are central to taking the Accord forward with Bangladeshi manufacturers. The BGMEA/BKMEA agreed that the Bangladeshi garment industry must become safe if it wishes to remain a market leader.

The delegation includes UNI Deputy General Secretary, Christy Hoffman, Jenny Holdcroft and Monika Kemperle from IndustriALL, Philip Chamberlain from C&A and Aleix Gonzalez from Inditex.

Hoffman said “We have had an incredibly positive welcome here in Dhaka. All sides have confirmed a commitment to the Accord and the manufacturers have been reassured that the brands are here for the long haul. The Bangladeshi government has agreed to pave the way for the Accord to begin its work without delay."

More than 80 brands and retailers, covering 1500 factories, have signed onto the legally binding Accord which aims to improve factory safety in Bangladesh’s $20 billion garment sector. The Accord came after the Rana Plaza building collapse in Dhaka claimed the lives of more than 1,100 workers in April.

The next steps for the Accord include developing an advisory board and an office in Dhaka.