Busoga to cement historic partnership with China’s Shandong Province
The event is being hailed as a major stride in Busoga's efforts to forge sustainable international development partnerships.
Vice Governor of Shandong Province H.E. Wen Nuan (left) with part of his delegation meeting Busoga Consortium for Development's Director General Anthony Mula (right) at his BCD office on October 11, 2025. (Courtesy photo.s)
________________
The Busoga sub-region is poised to enter a new era of international cooperation as it prepares to host a high-level delegation from the People's Republic of China’s Shandong Province.
The visit, led by Vice Governor Wen Nuan, will culminate in the official signing of a Cooperation Agreement with the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD). The BCD was established in 2017 by the ten districts that constitute the Busoga sub-region through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) backed by their representative councils.
The landmark signing ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 13, 2025, at the Civil Service College in Jinja city.
The event is being hailed as a major stride in Busoga's efforts to forge sustainable international development partnerships.
Anthony Mula, BCD’s director general, emphasised the significance of the visit during a press briefing, describing it as a gateway to deeper cooperation in trade, education, agriculture, and technology transfer.
"This partnership demonstrates Busoga's readiness to engage with global partners to achieve shared growth and development. It represents a new chapter of opportunity for the people of Busoga," Mula stated.
This high-profile engagement is a direct result of a royal and government visit to China in July 2024, during which a delegation led by the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV, was accompanied by the Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Isanga Nakadama.
During that mission, the Busoga representatives held key bilateral discussions with several Chinese provinces, including Shandong, setting the stage for collaboration in industrial growth, education, and agricultural transformation.
Vice Governor of Shandong Province H.E. Wen Nuan (middle) with part of his delegation meeting Busoga Consortium for Development's Director General Anthony Mula (2nd right) at his BCD office on October 11th, 2025. 
The arrival of Vice Governor Wen Nuan and his ten-member delegation on October 11, 2025, is a testament to the strong and cordial relationship that has since blossomed between the Busoga Consortium and Shandong Province.
The Cooperation Agreement will be signed by Bishop Frank Tibagendeka, governor of the Busoga Consortium, on behalf of Busoga, and Nuan for Shandong Province.
The ceremony is set to be graced by several dignitaries, including the Patron of BCD and First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who will serve as chief guest.
Shandong: An economic powerhouse
Shandong Province, located in eastern China, is one of the nation’s most advanced economies.
Bordering Beijing and Tianjin to the north and Shanghai to the south, it has a population exceeding 100 million and covers a land area of 154,300 square kilometres.
In 2024, Shandong recorded a GDP of 1.39 trillion US dollars, ranking third nationally, with total imports and exports valued at 475.16 billion US dollars.
The province is also an educational and agricultural hub, home to 36,000 schools, 161 higher institutions, 22 million students, and over 10,000 agro-processing enterprises.
Building the future together
The overarching goal of the cooperation is to drive industrial growth, agricultural modernisation, trade, cultural exchange, and skills transfer within Busoga.
This aligns closely with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Busoga Regional Transformation Agenda.