About

“OUT OF AFRICA REBORN MUST COME MODERN PRODUCTS OF HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE, IN THE ARTS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NEW IMAGES OF AN AFRICA OF PEACE & PROSPERITY,”

H.E. Thabo Mbeki (1998)

Image: Muhammadtaha Ibrahim, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

Agenda

“CHINA HAS AN AGENDA IN AFRICA. INDIA HAS AN AGENDA IN AFRICA. THE US HAS AN AGENDA IN AFRICA. WE ARE NAÏVE TO THINK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO OUR COUNTRIES, EVEN THE ONES WHO ARE HERE TO HELP US, HAVE NO AGENDA. EVERYONE HAS AN AGENDA FOR AFRICA. WHAT IS AFRICA’S AGENDA?” 

Jay Naidoo, Chairman of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Brand Africa FORUM 2010

Inspired by the OAU 1963 agenda for an independent and united Africa and its successor, the African Union’s 2063 of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa and the AfCFTA goal to accelerate intra-Africa trade, Brand Africa seeks to inspire an urgent brand-led African renaissance.

  • Inspire, champion and celebrate made in Africa brands, and brands anywhere that are inspired by Africa and contribute to its positive image globally.
  • Drive collaborations that promote African places, products and people.
  • Promote African unity and celebrate its diversity.
  • Build leadership capacity for building African brands.
  • Inspire a positive African image, reputation and competitiveness.

The meeting of African leaders representing the 32 signatory governments led by Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and hosted by Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie at the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) (Organisation de l'unité africaine, OUA) on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. © African Union.

Principles

Brand Africa is guided by a set of AFRICA fundamental principles that drive action, promote unity, celebrate its diversity and enhance the continent’s image globally.

  • AAction
    We the urgency to deliver on promises and align our thoughts with actions, and commit ourselves to contributing to the achievements of the the AU vision 2063, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the AfCTA 2030 goals for economic integration – and ultimately the goal of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.
  • FFacts
    We recognize that the real story of Africa is different from its brand outside, and commit ourselves to sharing facts that corrects the African narrative in the world.
  • RRespect
    We respect and value the diversity of Africa’s cultures, people, experiences and communities.
  • IInclusivity
    We embrace different stakeholders in shaping our work and ultimate continental goals.
  • CCollaboration
    We recognise that for Africa to achieve its collective goals we have to work with other like-minded Africa-focused stakeholders within and beyond the continent.
  • AAccountability
    We hold ourselves accountable for our actions and their impact on the realization of the vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

Founding

Recognizing the power of brands as a vector of the image, reputation and competitiveness of nations and inspired by the African Union Agenda 2063 towards an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa, Thebe Ikalafeng (www.ikalafeng.africa), a renowned African branding authority and founder of the foremost Africa-focused branding advisory firm Brand Leadership Group (www.brandleadership.africa) and Africa Brand Leadership Academy (www.abla.academy) the Africa-focused post-graduate academy of brand leadership, established Brand Africa in 2009 as a non-profit non-governmental vehicle to mobilize Africans and the diaspora to proactively drive a brand-led African agenda.

Brand Africa was launched in 2010 with a Brand Africa FORUM, an intergenerational gathering of global and African decision makers, thought-leaders, influencers and youth on 16 September 2010 in South Africa immediately post the FIFA World Cup South Africa. The agenda of the first Brand Africa FORUM was to assess and leverage the impact of and leverage the equity of the first World Cup in Africa for the African brand.

The inaugural Brand Africa FORUM, which was hosted by Brand South Africa, was headlined by renowned Zambian-born economist and best-selling author of Dead Aid, Dr. Dambisa Moyo, and nation branding pioneer and best-selling author of Brand America, Simon Anholt and Professor Vijay Mahajan, best-selling of Africa Rising.

Thebe Ikalafeng
Founder and Chairman

Leadership

Brand Africa is inspired by its eminent Patrons, Trustees and pan-African Network of committed Africans and diaspora Africans who provide overall strategic direction, governance, resourcing, monitor performance and drive actions across the continent towards achieving its vision and contributing to the advancement of the AU 2063 vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

The leadership leverages their platforms and networks to mobilize people, drive substantive conversations and promote actions that drive the Brand Africa agenda and move the continent forward.

Board of Trustees, led by Founder and Chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, is supported by the Africa Brand Leadership Academy which provides Secretarial and project management and day-to-day operations.

RICHARD KIPLAGAT,
VICE-CHAIRMAN, EAST AFRICA

CEO - AFRICAPRACTICE

FEYI OLUBODUN,
VICE-CHAIRMAN, WEST AFRICA

MANAGING PARTNER – OPEN SQUARES

KWAME SENOU,
VICE-CHAIRMAN, FRANCOPHONE
AND CENTRAL AFRICA

VICE PRESIDENT, OPINION &
PUBLIC BCW

Dr. Jacqueline Chimhanzi,
VICE-CHAIRMAN, SOUTHERN AFRICA

CEO – African Leadership Institute

Secretariat

The Secretariat for Brand Africa is led by the Africa Brand Leadership Academy. ABLA is an Africa-focused post-graduate academy of Brand Leadership. Its aim is to sharpen the leadership capability of individuals and organisations to create meaningful brands that will transform Africa and inspire the world.

www.abla.academy

 

Africa Brand Leadership Academy

Brand Africa is incorporated in the Republic of South Africa as a Non Profit Company (NPC 2013/146300/08).

Brand Africa subscribes to the Independent Code of Governance for Non-Profit Organisations in Africa (www.governance.org.za).