(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; 
(3) the United States Government should 
prioritize investments to build the capacity of emerg-
ing young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa, in-
cluding through efforts to— 
(A) enhance leadership skills; 
(B) encourage entrepreneurship; 
(C) strengthen public administration and 
the role of civil society; 
(D) enhance peace and security in their re-
spective countries of origin and across Africa; 
and 
(E) connect young African leaders continen-
tally and globally across the private, civic, and 
public sectors; 
(4) youth in Africa have a positive impact on ef-
forts to foster economic growth, improve public sector 
transparency and governance, and counter extremism, 
and should be an area of focus for United States out-
reach on the African continent; and 
(5) the Secretary of State should— 
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(A) increase the number of fellows from Af-
rica participating in the Mandela Washington 
Fellowship above the estimated 700 fellows who 
participated during fiscal year 2021; and 
(B) identify additional ways to connect 
YALI alumni to United States public and pri-
vate resources and institutions. 
SEC. 3. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Young Afri-
can Leaders Initiative (‘‘YALI’’), which shall be carried out 
by the Secretary of State. 
(b) PURPOSE.—YALI shall seek to build the capacity 
of young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa in the areas 
of business, civic engagement, or public administration, in-
cluding through efforts to— 
(1) 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, peace and secu-
rity, and public administration; and 
(2) provide increased economic and technical as-
sistance to young African leaders to promote economic 
growth, strengthen ties between United States and Af-
rican businesses, build resilience to predatory lending 
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practices, and improve capacity in key economic 
areas such as tendering, bidding, and contract nego-
tiations, budget management and oversight, anti-cor-
ruption, and establishment of clear policy and regu-
latory practices. 
(c) FELLOWSHIPS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—YALI shall support the par-
ticipation in the United States in the Mandela Wash-
ington Fellowship for Young African Leaders of fel-
lows from Africa who— 
(A) are between25 and 35 years of age; 
(B) have demonstrated strong capabilities 
in entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, 
and leadership; and 
(C) have had a positive impact in their 
communities, organizations, or institutions. 
(2) OVERSIGHT.—The fellowships described in 
paragraph (1) shall be overseen by the Secretary of 
State through the Bureau of Education and Cultural 
Affairs. 
(3) ELIGIBILITY.—The Secretary of State shall 
establish and publish— 
(A) eligibility criteria for participation as 
a fellow under paragraph (1); and 
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(B) criteria for determining which eligible 
applicants will be selected. 
(d) RECIPROCAL EXCHANGES.—Subject to the ap-
proval of the Secretary of State, United States citizens 
may— 
(1) engage in reciprocal exchanges in connection 
with alumni of the fellowship described in subsection 
(c); and 
(2) collaborate on projects with such fellowship 
alumni. 
(e) REGIONAL
LEADERSHIP
CENTERS
AND
NET-
WORKS.—The Administrator of the United States Agency 
for International Development shall establish— 
(1) not fewer than 4 regional leadership centers 
in sub-Saharan Africa to offer in-person and online 
training throughout the year on business and entre-
preneurship, civic leadership, and public management 
to young African leaders between 18 and 35 years of 
age who have demonstrated strong capabilities in en-
trepreneurship, innovation, public service and leader-
ship, and peace-building and conflict resolution, and 
who have had a positive impact in their communities, 
organizations, or institutions; and 
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(2) an online network that provides information 
and courses on, and connections with leaders in, the 
private and public sectors of Africa. 
(f) ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) UNITED
STATES-BASED
ACTIVITIES.—The 
Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of 
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall over-
see all United States-based activities carried out 
under YALI, including— 
(A) the participation of Mandela Wash-
ington Fellows in a six-week Leadership Insti-
tute at a United States educational institution 
in business, civic engagement, or public manage-
ment, including academic sessions, site visits, 
professional networking opportunities, leadership 
training, community service, and organized cul-
tural activities; and 
(B) the participation by Mandela Wash-
ington fellows in an annual Mandela Wash-
ington Fellowship Summit, to provide such Fel-
lows the opportunity to meet with United States 
leaders from the private, public, and non-profit 
sectors. 
(2) AFRICA-BASED
ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Administrator for 
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the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment and the heads of other relevant Federal depart-
ments and agencies, should continue to support YALI 
activities in sub-Saharan Africa, including— 
(A) continued leadership training and other 
professional 
development 
opportunities 
for 
Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Afri-
can Leaders alumni upon their return to their 
home countries, including online courses, tech-
nical assistance, and access to funding; 
(B) training for young African leaders at 
regional leadership centers established in accord-
ance with subsection (e), and through online and 
in-person courses offered by such centers; and 
(C) opportunities for networking and en-
gagement with— 
(i) alumni of the Mandela Washington 
Fellowship for Young African Leaders; 
(ii) alumni of programs at regional 
leadership centers established in accordance 
with subsection (e); 
(iii) United States and like-minded 
diplomatic missions, business leaders, and 
others as appropriate; and 
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(iv) where practicable and appro-
priate, other United States-funded regional 
leadership programs, including the Young 
Southeast 
Asian 
Leaders 
Initiative 
(YSEALI), the Young Leaders of the Amer-
icas Initiative (YLAI), the Young Pacific 
Leaders (YPL), and the Young Trans-
atlantic 
Innovation 
Leaders 
Initiative 
(YTILI), and through Department of State 
programs such as the Community Engage-
ment Exchange Program and other initia-
tives. 
(3) IMPLEMENTATION.—To carry out this sub-
section, the Secretary of State, in coordination with 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development and the heads of other rel-
evant Federal departments and agencies shall seek to 
partner with the private sector to pursue public-pri-
vate partnerships, leverage private sector expertise, 
expand networking opportunities, and identify fund-
ing opportunities as well as fellowship and employ-
ment opportunities for YALI. 
(g) 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 
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United States Agency for International Development and 
the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees a plan for implementing YALI, including— 
(1) a description of clearly defined program 
goals, targets, and planned outcomes for each year 
and for the duration of implementation of the pro-
gram; 
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the pro-
gram and progress made toward achieving such goals, 
targets, and planned outcomes; and 
(3) a strategy to ensure the program is pro-
moting United States foreign policy goals in Africa, 
including ensuring that the program is clearly brand-
ed, paired with robust public diplomacy efforts, and 
incorporates diversity among participants as prac-
ticable, including countries and communities in Afri-
ca 
facing 
economic 
distress, 
civil 
conflict, 
marginalization, and other challenges. 
(h) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 
years, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Ad-
ministrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
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committees and publish in a publicly accessible, internet– 
based form, a report that includes— 
(1) a description of the progress made toward 
achieving the goals, targets, and planned outcomes de-
scribed in subsection (g)(1), including an overview of 
the program implemented in the previous year and 
an estimated number of beneficiaries; 
(2) an assessment of how YALI is contributing 
to and promoting United States-Africa relations, par-
ticularly in areas of increased private sector invest-
ment, trade promotion, support to civil society, im-
proved public administration, promoting peace and 
security, and fostering entrepreneurship and youth 
empowerment; 
(3) 
recommendations 
for 
improvements 
or 
changes to YALI and the implementation plan, if 
any, that would improve their effectiveness during 
subsequent years of YALI’s implementation; and 
(4) for the first report submitted under this sub-
section, an assessment of the feasibility of expanding 
YALI to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and 
Egypt. 
(i) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
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(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate; 
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Sen-
ate; 
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(4) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives. 
(j) SUNSET.—The requirements of this section shall 
terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
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Calendar No. 161 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 965 
AN ACT 
To establish a comprehensive United States Gov-
ernment initiative to build the capacity of young 
leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa, and for 
other purposes. 
OCTOBER 28, 2021 
Reported with an amendment 
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