Windhoek: The Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), is hosting the second Effective Communicators Conference (ECC) at Swakopmund in the Erongo region. The event is scheduled to take place from 14 to 17 July 2026, drawing more than 800 delegates from 11 African countries, including the host, Namibia. According to Namibia Press Agency, Vice President Lucia Witbooi and Botswana's Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe are expected to headline the four-day conference, which is being held under the theme, 'Communication Reconsidered: A Driving Force for Constant Progress.' The conference follows the inaugural event held in 2025, which attracted 450 delegates. Speaking ahead of the conference, Acting NAMPA Chief Executive Officer Jata Kazondu emphasized that effective communication goes beyond simply telling stories. 'For the second year now, NAMPA is creating a platform through which we can all learn and develop to become effective communicators ,' he said. Kazondu noted that the conference provides an opportunity for public relations practitioners, chief executive officers, and other communicators to improve how they engage with the public while learning from industry best practices. He highlighted the gathering's role in supporting the implementation of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), particularly its focus on strengthening governance and improving public service delivery. This is achieved by enabling government institutions and public enterprises to showcase their achievements and share experiences. More than 37 speakers are expected to deliver over 25 sessions on topics including strategic and crisis communication, media literacy, information integrity, artificial intelligence, digital communication, audience-centred messaging, and professional communication practices. The conference, according to the organising committee, seeks to strengthen communication capacity across government, state-owned enterprises, regional and local autho rities, and the private sector. It also aims to promote coordinated communication, combat misinformation and disinformation, improve public information sharing, and encourage solutions-focused storytelling in support of Namibia's Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Participants include communication professionals, journalists, public relations and marketing practitioners, public officials, captains of industry, and representatives from Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, The Gambia, Nigeria, and Ghana.