[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2545 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2545
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2021
Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. Rounds) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
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 emerging young 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 Program (referred to in this Act
as the ``YALI Program'').
(b) Purpose.--The YALI Program shall seek to build the capacity of
young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa in the areas of business,
civic engagement, or public administration, including through efforts--
(1) to support young African leaders by offering
professional development, training, and networking
opportunities, particularly in the areas of leadership,
innovation, civic engagement, elections, human rights,
entrepreneurship, good governance, and public administration;
and
(2) to provide increased economic and technical assistance
to young African leaders to promote economic growth and
strengthen ties between United States and African businesses.
(c) Fellowships.--The YALI Program shall award fellowships through
the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Program to
young African leaders who--
(1) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
(2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership;
and
(3) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions.
(d) Regional Leadership Centers.--The YALI Program shall seek to
establish regional leadership centers in sub-Saharan Africa to offer
training to young African leaders who--
(1) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
(2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service and leadership;
and
(3) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions.
(e) Activities.--
(1) United states-based activities.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development and the heads of
other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall oversee
all United States-based activities carried out under the YALI
Program, including the participation of Mandela Washington
fellows in--
(A) a 6-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; and
(B) an annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit
to provide such fellows the opportunity to meet with
United States leaders from the private, public, and
nonprofit sectors.
(2) Africa-based activities.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development and the heads of other relevant
Federal departments and agencies, should continue to support
existing Young African Leaders Initiative programs in sub-
Saharan Africa, including--
(A) access to continued leadership training and
other professional development opportunities for
Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
alumni upon their return to their home countries,
including online courses, technical assistance, and
access to funding;
(B) training for young African leaders at regional
leadership centers established in accordance with
subsection (d), and through online and in-person
courses offered by such centers; and
(C) opportunities for networking and engagement
with--
(i) other alumni of the Mandela Washington
Fellowship for Young African Leaders;
(ii) alumni of programs at regional
leadership centers established in accordance
with subsection (d); and
(iii) United States and like-minded
diplomatic missions, business leaders, and
others, as appropriate.
(3) Implementation.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development and the heads of other relevant
Federal departments and agencies, shall seek to partner with
the private sector to pursue public-private partnerships,
leverage private sector expertise, expand networking
opportunities, and identify funding opportunities and
fellowship and employment opportunities for participants in the
YALI Program.
(f) Implementation Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, shall submit a plan to the appropriate congressional
committees for implementing the YALI Program, which plan shall
include--
(1) a description of clearly defined program goals,
targets, and planned outcomes for each year and for the
duration of implementation of the YALI Program;
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the YALI Program and
progress made toward achieving such goals, targets, and planned
outcomes; and
(3) a strategy to ensure that the YALI Program is promoting
United States foreign policy goals in Africa, including
ensuring that the YALI Program is clearly branded and paired
with robust public diplomacy efforts.
(g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following 5 years, the
Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the
United States Agency for International Development, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees and publish in a publicly
accessible, internet-based form, a report that contains--
(1) a description of the progress made toward achieving the
goals, targets, and planned outcomes described in subsection
(f)(1), including an overview of the implementation of the YALI
Program during the previous year and an estimated number of
YALI Program beneficiaries during such year;
(2) an assessment of how the YALI Program is contributing
to and promoting United States-Africa relations, particularly
in areas of increased private sector investment, trade
promotion, support to civil society, improved public
administration, and fostering entrepreneurship and youth
empowerment; and
(3) recommendations for improvements or changes to the YALI
Program and implementation plan, if any, that would improve its
effectiveness during subsequent years of implementation of the
YALI Program.
(h) Defined Term.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(i) Sunset.--The YALI Program shall terminate on the date that is 5
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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