Italy, Uganda Sign Development Cooperation Framework
An Italian delegation led by Secretary General Riccardo Guariglia is in Uganda to advance cooperation in health, education, agriculture and environmental protection.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Coffee
Italian Secretary General Riccardo Guariglia leads a development cooperation delegation to Uganda, where Italy and Uganda sign a new Framework Agreement on Development Cooperation. The delegation includes representatives of institutions, academia, civil society, the Italian private sector and partner international organisations.
Why it matters
Italy is a priority partner for Uganda in its development strategy, and the visit signals an expanded framework for joint projects. The agreement is intended to shape future cooperation across several sectors.
Italian Development Cooperation projects in Uganda total roughly €42 million across healthcare, education, agriculture and environmental protection. Planned coffee value chain and sustainability projects exceed €150 million, though completion dates and allocations were not disclosed.
The players
Riccardo Guariglia
Italian Secretary General leading the development cooperation delegation to Uganda, acting at the direction of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
Antonio Tajani
Italy's Foreign Minister, who directed Guariglia to lead the delegation to Uganda as part of the country's development cooperation strategy.
UNIDO
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization, which is developing the Coffee Training Center as part of Italy's Coffee Act initiative.
The details
The visit includes stops at projects run by the Community of Sant'Egidio, the EcoLab laboratories and EMERGENCY's hospital facilities. The Business Hub, designed to support the local private sector, is slated for launch, and the Coffee Training Center is being developed by UNIDO under Italy's Coffee Act initiative.
Timeline
• Nov. 9, 2026: Italian delegation visit to Uganda is reported and underway.
Roadmap
The Coffee Training Center is being built by UNIDO under Italy's Coffee Act initiative, extending that national program into Uganda's coffee sector. The project sits within a larger coffee value chain and sustainability portfolio worth more than €150 million.
For coffee drinkers, the coffee value chain investments could eventually influence the supply, quality and sourcing practices behind the beans they buy. The training center aims to build skills among Ugandan producers, which may affect long-term supply conditions.
The takeaway
International development partnerships increasingly link local business growth with sector-specific investment, as the Coffee Training Center illustrates. Readers following coffee markets may watch how these programs affect producer incomes and supply stability.
Further reading
Explore more on Coffee to see how global coffee value chains are reshaping producer communities.
