Ten years after it first opened its doors to Africa’s thinkers, the Mbali International Conference is celebrating a milestone edition in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, with a call for the continent to seize its moment on the world stage.
Hosted by the University of Zululand from 4 to 6 August 2026, the three-day gathering is being held under the theme “Africa Awakens: Possibilities, Progress, Partnerships in a Multipolar World”. The tenth edition marks a decade of promoting African intellectualism, thought leadership and progressive dialogue.
The conference has brought together academics, policymakers, innovators and business leaders from across the continent to reflect on Africa’s role in shaping global development.
African voices at the forefront
Addressing delegates, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli underscored the importance of partnerships, knowledge exchange and visionary leadership in unlocking Africa’s full potential amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Ntuli said platforms such as the Mbali International Conference are critical to ensuring that African voices, ideas and experiences remain at the forefront of discussions on development, innovation and international cooperation.
“Africa’s progress depends on stronger collaboration between governments, academia, innovators, the private sector and civil society,” the Premier said.
He highlighted the importance of positioning KwaZulu-Natal as a province that contributes meaningfully to continental dialogue, economic development and the advancement of African-led solutions to African challenges.
Opportunity in a multipolar world
The Premier noted that the conference provides a platform for delegates to explore new opportunities for cooperation in a multipolar world, where emerging economies and developing regions are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping the global agenda.
It is a fitting conversation for Richards Bay, an industrial and port city with deep links to trade across the Indian Ocean, and for the University of Zululand, which has used the conference to build a bridge between the academy and the practical work of development.
Ten years of building a platform
Ntuli commended the organisers for sustaining a platform that continues to promote intellectual engagement and African excellence, and that fosters partnerships aimed at building a more inclusive and prosperous continent.
The conference is expected to reaffirm the role of dialogue, innovation and collective action in advancing Africa’s development agenda, while inspiring new hope for future generations to contribute to the continent’s growth and transformation.
A decade in, the message from Richards Bay is a confident one: Africa’s ideas are awake, its partnerships are growing, and its universities are helping to lead the way.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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