Cape Town, South Africa — 15 July 2026 — The International Association of Business
Communicators Africa Region (IABC Africa), Africa’s leading business communication
association, has partnered with the African Union (AU) and AUDA-NEPAD for the 2026
IABC Africa Conference. The event will be held on 21–23 October 2026 in Cape Town,
South Africa.
This partnership unites two leading pan-African organisations with a shared mission:
advancing Africa’s development through innovative and strategic communication.
The 2026 IABC Africa Conference is the continent’s premier gathering for
communication professionals. It will bring together senior leaders from business,
government, development, academia, and civil society.
The conference offers a high
profile platform to shape and amplify Africa’s story at a time of rapid transformation.
Attendees will engage in thought leadership discussions on communicating Africa’s
development agenda and explore how professional, ethical, and effective
communication drives trust, influence, and impact.
“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 link between policy, development, and the professionals
in the public and private sectors telling Africa’s story with clarity and credibility.”
Commenting on the partnership, Zipporah Maubane, Head of Communications and
Advocacy at AUDA-NEPAD explains “Achieving the ambitions of Agenda 2063 is a
shared responsibility and strategic communication is fundamental to building a shared
understanding, strengthening trust and mobilising collective action. 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.”
The African Union and AUDA-NEPAD will play a key role, providing keynote speakers,
leading high-level dialogues, and contributing into session themes focused on sharing
Agenda 2063 priorities such as youth development, climate resilience, digital
transformation, and health systems.
The 2026 conference marks the first regional event of its kind in more than a decade
and reinforces IABC Africa’s commitment to raising the standard of strategic
communication across Africa. In an era defined by artificial intelligence, rapidly
evolving social platforms and changing stakeholder expectations, the conference will
help communication professionals build globally relevant skills, embrace emerging
technologies and position themselves to lead the future of the profession.
More details on the conference programme and partnership activities will be
announced in the coming months. Visit www.iabc.co.za for updates.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Therésa Lee, Conference Director, IABC Africa: theresa.lee@vodamail.co.za
IABC Secretariat: info@iabc.co.za
Millicent Kgeledi, Communications Office, AUDA-NEPAD: MillicentS@auda-nepad.org
About IABC Africa Communicators (IABC), a global network of professionals working in
corporate communication, public relations, marketing, media, and related fields. IABC
Africa champions ethical and effective communication across the continent by
connecting professionals, promoting best practices, and recognising communication
excellence.
For more information, visit: https://www.iabc.co.za
About the African Union and AUDA-NEPAD
The African Union is a continental body consisting of 55 Member States committed to
accelerating Africa’s political and socio-economic integration. AUDA-NEPAD is the
African Union’s development agency, mandated to coordinate and implement priority
regional and continental projects.
T: +27 73 203 5591 | E: info@iabc.co.za | W: www.iabc.co.za
