YALI Act of 2021
Bill: S.2545 | Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris (D-MD)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Young African Leaders Initiative Act of 2021 or the YALI Act of 2021
This bill provides statutory authority for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which must seek to build the capacity of young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa in the areas of business, civic engagement, or public administration.
The YALI program must award Mandela Washington Fellowships to young leaders and offer training through regional leadership centers in sub-Saharan Africa to individuals who have demonstrated strong capabilities in entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership.
The Department of State must oversee all U.S.-based activities carried out under the program, and the United States should continue to support overseas initiatives of the program (e.g., access to continued professional training and leadership development opportunities for fellowship alumni upon returning to their home countries). The State Department must also submit an implementation plan for the program and annual reports on the program's progress.

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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