II 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Young African Leaders 

5 Initiative Act of 2021’’ or the ‘‘YALI Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 2545 IS

1 (1) the Young African Leaders Initiative, 

2 launched in 2010, is a signature effort to invest in 

3 the next generation of African leaders; 

4 (2) Africa is a continent of strategic importance 

5 and it is vital for the United States to support 

6 strong and enduring partnerships with the next gen7 eration of African leaders; and 

8 (3) the United States Government should 

9 prioritize investments to build the capacity of emerg10 ing young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa, in11 cluding through efforts to enhance leadership skills, 

12 encourage entrepreneurship, strengthen public ad13 ministration and the role of civil society, and connect 

14 young African leaders continentally and globally 

15 across the private, civic, and public sectors. 

16 SEC. 3. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De18 partment of State the Young African Leaders Initiative 

19 Program (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘YALI Pro20 gram’’). 

21 (b) PURPOSE.—The YALI Program shall seek to 

22 build the capacity of young African leaders in sub-Saharan 

23 Africa in the areas of business, civic engagement, or public 

24 administration, including through efforts— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 2545 IS

1 (1) to support young African leaders by offering 

2 professional development, training, and networking 

3 opportunities, particularly in the areas of leadership, 

4 innovation, civic engagement, elections, human 

5 rights, entrepreneurship, good governance, and pub6 lic administration; and 

7 (2) to provide increased economic and technical 

8 assistance to young African leaders to promote eco9 nomic growth and strengthen ties between United 

10 States and African businesses. 

11 (c) FELLOWSHIPS.—The YALI Program shall award 

12 fellowships through the Mandela Washington Fellowship 

13 for Young African Leaders Program to young African 

14 leaders who— 

15 (1) are between 18 and 35 years of age; 

16 (2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in en17 trepreneurship, innovation, public service, and lead18 ership; and 

19 (3) have had a positive impact in their commu20 nities, organizations, or institutions. 

21 (d) REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CENTERS.—The YALI 

22 Program shall seek to establish regional leadership centers 

23 in sub-Saharan Africa to offer training to young African 

24 leaders who— 

25 (1) are between 18 and 35 years of age; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 2545 IS

1 (2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in en2 trepreneurship, innovation, public service and leader3 ship; and 

4 (3) have had a positive impact in their commu5 nities, organizations, or institutions. 

6 (e) ACTIVITIES.— 

7 (1) UNITED STATES-BASED ACTIVITIES.—The 

8 Secretary of State, in coordination with the Admin9 istrator of the United States Agency for Inter10 national Development and the heads of other rel11 evant Federal departments and agencies, shall over12 see all United States-based activities carried out 

13 under the YALI Program, including the participa14 tion of Mandela Washington fellows in— 

15 (A) a 6-week leadership institute at a 

16 United States university or college in business, 

17 civic engagement, or public management, in18 cluding academic sessions, site visits, profes19 sional networking opportunities, leadership 

20 training, community service, and organized cul21 tural activities; and 

22 (B) an annual Mandela Washington Fel23 lowship Summit to provide such fellows the op24 portunity to meet with United States leaders 

25 from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 2545 IS

1 (2) AFRICA-BASED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary 

2 of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 

3 the United States Agency for International Develop4 ment and the heads of other relevant Federal de5 partments and agencies, should continue to support 

6 existing Young African Leaders Initiative programs 

7 in sub-Saharan Africa, including— 

8 (A) access to continued leadership training 

9 and other professional development opportuni10 ties for Mandela Washington Fellowship for 

11 Young African Leaders alumni upon their re12 turn to their home countries, including online 

13 courses, technical assistance, and access to 

14 funding; 

15 (B) training for young African leaders at 

16 regional leadership centers established in ac17 cordance with subsection (d), and through on18 line and in-person courses offered by such cen19 ters; and 

20 (C) opportunities for networking and en21 gagement with— 

22 (i) other alumni of the Mandela 

23 Washington Fellowship for Young African 

24 Leaders; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 2545 IS

1 (ii) alumni of programs at regional 

2 leadership centers established in accord3 ance with subsection (d); and 

4 (iii) United States and like-minded 

5 diplomatic missions, business leaders, and 

6 others, as appropriate. 

7 (3) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of 

8 State, in coordination with the Administrator of the 

9 United States Agency for International Development 

10 and the heads of other relevant Federal departments 

11 and agencies, shall seek to partner with the private 

12 sector to pursue public-private partnerships, leverage 

13 private sector expertise, expand networking opportu14 nities, and identify funding opportunities and fellow15 ship and employment opportunities for participants 

16 in the YALI Program. 

17 (f) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than 180 

18 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec19 retary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 

20 the United States Agency for International Development 

21 and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and 

22 agencies, shall submit a plan to the appropriate congres23 sional committees for implementing the YALI Program, 

24 which plan shall include— 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 2545 IS

1 (1) a description of clearly defined program 

2 goals, targets, and planned outcomes for each year 

3 and for the duration of implementation of the YALI 

4 Program; 

5 (2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the 

6 YALI Program and progress made toward achieving 

7 such goals, targets, and planned outcomes; and 

8 (3) a strategy to ensure that the YALI Pro9 gram is promoting United States foreign policy goals 

10 in Africa, including ensuring that the YALI Pro11 gram is clearly branded and paired with robust pub12 lic diplomacy efforts. 

13 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

14 of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 

15 the following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordina16 tion with the Administrator of the United States Agency 

17 for International Development, shall submit to the appro18 priate congressional committees and publish in a publicly 

19 accessible, internet-based form, a report that contains— 

20 (1) a description of the progress made toward 

21 achieving the goals, targets, and planned outcomes 

22 described in subsection (f)(1), including an overview 

23 of the implementation of the YALI Program during 

24 the previous year and an estimated number of YALI 

25 Program beneficiaries during such year; 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 2545 IS

1 (2) an assessment of how the YALI Program is 

2 contributing to and promoting United States-Africa 

3 relations, particularly in areas of increased private 

4 sector investment, trade promotion, support to civil 

5 society, improved public administration, and fos6 tering entrepreneurship and youth empowerment; 

7 and 

8 (3) recommendations for improvements or 

9 changes to the YALI Program and implementation 

10 plan, if any, that would improve its effectiveness 

11 during subsequent years of implementation of the 

12 YALI Program. 

13 (h) DEFINED TERM.—In this section, the term ‘‘ap14 propriate congressional committees’’ means— 

15 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

16 Senate; 

17 (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the 

18 Senate; 

19 (3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

20 House of Representatives; and 

21 (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the 

22 House of Representatives. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
9 

•S 2545 IS

1 (i) SUNSET.—The YALI Program shall terminate on 

2 the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment 

3 of this Act. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS