Supply chain managers from across Africa and around the world will meet in Cape Town next week for the annual SAPICS Conference, Africa’s premier learning, knowledge sharing and networking event for the profession.

In 2024, more than 750 supply chain managers from 30 countries attended the SAPICS Conference. This year’s gathering is more important than ever amid shifting global trade dynamics and ongoing supply chain disruptions, according to supply chain industry body SAPICS, which has hosted the conference for almost five decades.

“Supply chains don’t just get goods from A to B – they have the power to save lives, protect the environment and grow economies,” says SAPICS president Thato Moloi. “Virtually everything that we use or touch every day has reached us through supply chains. They connect everything and make our societies and economies function. Strong, reliable, resilient supply chains are powered by skilled, knowledgeable, suitably qualified people. Without them, goods and services - including essential medicines and healthcare - would not reach the people and communities who need them.

“Africa's supply chain environment is at a critical junction marked by opportunities and challenges. With the rise of protectionism and reshoring in a world impacted by economic nationalism and geopolitical tensions, Africa has the potential to become a powerful link in global supply chains, but it is vital to hone our supply chain skills, including keeping up with the technological advances driving supply chain optimisation, agility and resilience,” Moloi stresses

“Since 1966, SAPICS’s mission has been to elevate, educate and empower supply chain professionals in South Africa and across the continent. It is more important than ever today, as we have the chance to seize this opportunity for Africa,” he asserts.

Among the topics on this year’s programme are the public health crisis due to global funding cuts and the work of South Africa’s National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC). Other topics in the spotlight include technology like artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digitalisation; sustainability and circularity; the skills gap; supply chain finance; healthcare supply chain innovations; food security; and African medicine self-reliance.

The 2025 SAPICS Conference theme is “Innovation in Motion”. Moloi outlines the rationale behind it: “This year’s theme reflects the imperative for organisations to innovate and strive for the agility and adaptability needed to rapidly respond to potentially chaotic changes and disruptions in today’s turbulent supply chain landscape. In the face of continuous technological advances, shifting global dynamics and the pursuit of seamless efficiency, customer satisfaction and sustainability, one thing is clear: innovation is a necessity for supply chain managers.”

SAPICS 2025 will bring together industry experts, thought leaders and professionals from around the world and across the supply chain spectrum, to share their insights and expertise in presentations, panel discussions and practical workshops. “Attendees will learn from the brightest minds and the most influential voices in supply chain management as they explore the trends, technologies and strategies that are driving the future of the supply chain management profession,” Moloi concludes.

The 2025 SAPICS Conference kicks off on Sunday, 8 June 2025 at Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. The event runs until 11 June 2025.