Mbale City in eastern Uganda and Guiyang City, the capital of Guizhou Province in China, have taken a significant step towards strengthening economic, agricultural, cultural, and technological cooperation. The two cities signed a Letter of Intent to Establish Friendly Exchange and Cooperation Relations on October 27. This agreement is expected to open new opportunities for cooperation in coffee, agriculture and agro-processing, industrial development, tourism, vocational education, digital innovation, and environmental management. The signing ceremony brought together officials from both cities, including Mbale City Mayor Hon. Joyce Matuka Kidulu and Uganda's Consul General in Guangzhou, Ambassador Judyth Nsababera.
Guiyang, described as an important economic, transportation, tourism, and commercial center in Southwest China, covers approximately 8,043 square kilometers and serves as a major central city and national comprehensive transportation hub. The city's economy has continued to expand, with a GDP of 603.815 billion yuan in 2025, representing 5.1 percent growth. Guiyang's permanent resident population stands at approximately 6.67 million. The city's growing consumer market and expanding tourism industry provide a strong foundation for cooperation with Mbale and Uganda. The Mayor of Guiyang highlighted the city's coffee culture, with over 3,000 coffee shops, equivalent to one coffee shop for every 2,000 residents.
The Mayor of Guiyang proposed a series of concrete measures to deepen coffee cooperation between Guiyang and Uganda. These measures include expanding imports of Ugandan coffee, encouraging Ugandan coffee companies to participate in exhibitions and business matchmaking events, and exploring processing cooperation, such as Guiyang companies investing in Uganda in coffee roasting and related processing activities. The Mayor also suggested developing distinctive Ugandan coffee brands for the Chinese market and supporting the inclusion of Ugandan coffee in Guiyang's specialty coffee public-brand system.
Uganda's Consul General in Guangzhou, Ambassador Judyth Nsababera, emphasized that Uganda is one of Africa's leading coffee producers, with coffee exports to China growing by over 220 percent since 2023. However, Uganda's ambition is not only to increase the volume of coffee exported but also to have Chinese consumers recognize the country as a coffee origin in its own right. Ambassador Nsababera challenged Chinese partners to go beyond purchasing coffee and work with Uganda to understand the farmers, production areas, and communities behind the product.
The cooperation agreement between Mbale and Guiyang is seen as an important first step towards developing a broader sister-city relationship founded on practical economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and shared development interests. The agreement is expected to promote economic growth, cultural exchange, and technological cooperation between the two cities. The signing ceremony was attended by officials from Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, and representatives of the Ugandan Consulate General in Guangzhou.
Guiyang has developed a growing coffee ecosystem involving professional coffee brewers, local brands, specialized products, and diverse consumption experiences. The city is home to over 10 world and national coffee brewing champions, and local brands such as Captain George Coffee, Dui De Coffee, SeekSeeking, and Black Stone Coffee continue to develop. Guiyang also hosted the China Final of the 2026 World Barista Championship in July, marking an important milestone as the event was held outside the Yangtze River Delta for the first time.
The cooperation between Mbale and Guiyang is expected to have a positive impact on Uganda's economy, particularly in the coffee sector. With Guiyang's expertise in coffee roasting, branding, and product innovation, Ugandan coffee producers can benefit from increased access to the Chinese market. The agreement also provides opportunities for knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and capacity building in areas such as agriculture, tourism, and vocational education.
Key points
- The agreement between Mbale and Guiyang aims to strengthen economic, agricultural, and cultural ties between the two cities.
- Guiyang has proposed expanding imports of Ugandan coffee and encouraging Ugandan coffee companies to participate in exhibitions and business matchmaking events.
- Uganda's Consul General in Guangzhou emphasized the need for Chinese consumers to recognize Uganda as a coffee origin in its own right.
