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Cape Town, South Africa | JULIUS BUSINGE & AGENCIES | The International Association of Business Communicators Africa Region (IABC Africa) has partnered with the African Union (AU) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) for the 2026 IABC Africa Conference, strengthening efforts to advance Africa’s development agenda through strategic communication.
The conference will take place from October 21-23, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, bringing together communication professionals, policymakers, business leaders, development experts, academics and civil society representatives from across the continent.
The partnership brings together three organisations with a shared goal of promoting effective, ethical and innovative communication as a driver of trust, collaboration and sustainable development.
The 2026 IABC Africa Conference is expected to serve as a leading platform for discussions on how communication can support Africa’s transformation agenda, amplify the continent’s progress and strengthen engagement between institutions and their stakeholders.
“This partnership highlights the crucial role of communication in shaping Africa’s future,” said Dr Adeyemi Opeyemi, Chair of IABC Africa.
“Working with the AU and AUDA-NEPAD strengthens the connection between policy, development and the professionals in the public and private sectors who are responsible for telling Africa’s story with clarity and credibility.”
Zipporah Maubane, Head of Communications and Advocacy at AUDA-NEPAD, said strategic communication will be essential in advancing the ambitions of Agenda 2063, Africa’s long-term development framework.
“Achieving the ambitions of Agenda 2063 is a shared responsibility, and strategic communication is fundamental to building shared understanding, strengthening trust and mobilising collective action,” Maubane said.
“Through our partnership with IABC Africa, we look forward to engaging communication professionals from across the continent to explore how effective communication can accelerate Africa’s development priorities and ensure our stories, innovations and progress resonate both within Africa and around the world.”
As part of the partnership, the AU and AUDA-NEPAD will contribute to the conference programme through keynote addresses, high-level discussions and sessions focusing on key development priorities under Agenda 2063, including youth development, climate resilience, and digital transformation and health systems.
The 2026 conference will be IABC Africa’s first regional gathering of its kind in more than a decade, reinforcing the association’s commitment to strengthening the communication profession across the continent.
Organisers said the conference comes at a time when communication professionals are navigating a rapidly changing environment shaped by artificial intelligence, evolving digital platforms and shifting stakeholder expectations.
The event will provide a platform for professionals to build globally relevant skills, explore emerging technologies and examine how strategic communication can support organisations and societies through periods of transformation.
Further details on the conference programme and partnership activities will be announced in the coming months. Updates will be available through IABC Africa’s official channels, organizers said in a statement dated July 16.
