[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 965 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 965
To establish a comprehensive United States Government initiative to
build the capacity of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2021
Ms. Bass introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a comprehensive United States Government initiative to
build the capacity of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Young African Leaders Initiative Act
of 2021'' or the ``YALI Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Young African Leaders Initiative, launched in 2010,
is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of
African leaders;
(2) Africa is a continent of strategic importance and it is
vital for the United States to support strong and enduring
partnerships with the next generation of African leaders; and
(3) the United States Government should prioritize
investments to build the capacity of young emerging African
leaders in sub-Saharan Africa, including through efforts to
enhance leadership skills, encourage entrepreneurship,
strengthen public administration and the role of civil society,
and connect young African leaders continentally and globally
across the private, civic, and public sectors.
SEC. 3. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--There is established in the Department of State
the Young African Leaders Initiative (``YALI'') program.
(b) Duties.--The YALI program shall seek to build to capacity of
young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa in the areas of civic
engagement, entrepreneurship and business development, including
through efforts to--
(1) support young African leaders by offering professional
development and a global network to share expertise, including
in the areas of civic leadership, elections, human rights, good
governance and public management;
(2) provide increased economic and technical assistance to
young African leaders and entrepreneurs, to strengthen ties
between United States and African businesses.
(c) Fellowships.--The YALI program shall award Mandela Washington
Fellowships to young leaders who have demonstrated strong capabilities
in entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership, and
who have had a positive impact in their communities, organizations, or
institutions.
(d) Regional Leadership Centers.--The YALI program shall offer
training to young leaders who have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service and leadership, and who
have had a positive impact in their communities, organizations, or
institutions, by seeking to establish regional leadership centers in
sub-Saharan Africa.
(e) Activities.--
(1) United states-based activities.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the Administrator for the United
States Agency for International Development, shall oversee all
United States-based activities carried out under the YALI
program, including the following:
(A) The participation of Mandela Washington Fellows
in a six-week Leadership Institute at a United States
university or college in business, civic engagement, or
public management, including academic sessions, site
visits, professional networking opportunities,
leadership training, community service, and organized
cultural activities.
(B) The participation by Mandela Washington Fellows
in an annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, to
provide such Fellows the opportunity to meet with
United States leaders from the private, public, and
non-profit sectors.
(2) Africa-based activities.--The United States should
continue to support overseas initiatives of the program,
including the following:
(A) Quality leadership training, professional
development, and networking opportunities for Mandela
Washington Fellowship alumni upon their return to their
home countries, including online courses.
(B) Training for young African leaders at regional
leadership centers established in accordance with
subsection (d), and through online courses offered by
such centers.
(C) Opportunities for networking with--
(i) alumni of the Mandela Washington
Fellowship;
(ii) alumni of the programs at YALI
Regional Leadership Centers established in
accordance with subsection (d), who offer
leadership training programs at higher
education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa;
and
(iii) American and African professionals
and experts.
(D) Opportunities through the United States Africa
Development Foundation to facilitate professional
development and sharing of expertise in the home
countries of Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni and
throughout the African continent.
(3) Implementation.--To carry out this subsection, United
States diplomatic and consular posts, the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development, the
Secretary of State, and agency external partners managing and
implementing the YALI program--
(A) shall promote United States policy goals in
Africa by providing tools and resources to help young
African leaders develop important skills and
connections, including through online campaigns and
public diplomacy initiatives;
(B) shall establish a system for monitoring,
evaluating, and improving the YALI program; and
(C) may accept financial contributions from
foundations, corporations, private donors, program
partners, and implementing agency external partners
intended to foster the goals of the YALI program.
(f) Reports.--
(1) Strategy.--The Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of USAID, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a strategy for implementing the YALI
program, including the following:
(A) YALI program goals, targets, and planned
outcomes for each year and, separately, for the YALI
program generally during the duration of its
implementation.
(B) A YALI program monitoring and evaluation plan,
including metrics for measuring YALI program progress
and determining whether YALI program goals, targets,
and planned outcomes of growing the United States and
Africa trade relationship, strengthening civil society
and public administration, and supporting innovation
and investment in the next generation of African
leaders have been met annually and, separately, for the
YALI program generally, during the duration of its
implementation.
(2) Annual reports.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of USAID, shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees and publish in a
publicly accessible, internet-based form, an annual report for
the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this Act on--
(A) YALI program progress and an assessment of the
metrics, goals, targets, and outcomes referred to in
paragraph (1)(A), including information relating to
YALI program implementation and outcome activities
during the year covered by each report; and
(B) recommendations for improvements or amendments
to the YALI program and strategy, if any, that would
improve their effectiveness during subsequent years of
YALI program implementation.
(3) Final report.--Not later than December 1, 2025, the
Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of
USAID, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees
a final assessment report that evaluates YALI program
implementation and outcomes during the entire duration of YALI
program operation, including recommendations regarding whether
the YALI program should be reauthorized and any changes that
would improve its effectiveness.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) Implementing agency external partners.--The term
``implementing agency external partners'' means any external
partner that is not a United States Government agency, and may
include one or more of the following entities:
(A) Local or multinational corporations.
(B) Nongovernmental organizations.
(C) Universities.
(D) Regional institutions.
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