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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4332 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4332
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
July 10, 2025
Ms. Kamlager-Dove (for herself, Mrs. Kim, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. McCaul, Mrs.
Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Titus, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Sewell, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Norton, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Moore
of Wisconsin, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Keating, and Mr. Lawler) 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 2025'' or the ``YALI Act of 2025''.
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;
(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--
(A) enhance leadership skills;
(B) encourage entrepreneurship;
(C) strengthen public administration and the role
of civil society;
(D) enhance peace and security in their respective
countries of origin and across Africa; and
(E) connect young African leaders continentally and
globally across the private, civic, and public sectors;
(4) youth in Africa have a positive impact on efforts to
foster economic growth, improve public sector transparency and
governance, and counter extremism, and should be an area of
focus for United States outreach on the African continent; and
(5) the Secretary of State should--
(A) increase the number of fellows from Africa
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 private resources and
institutions.
SEC. 3. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--There is established the Young African Leaders
Initiative (referred to in this section as ``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, 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, peace and security, and
public administration; and
(2) to provide increased economic and technical assistance
to young African leaders to promote economic growth, strengthen
ties between United States and African businesses, build
resilience to predatory lending practices, and improve capacity
in key economic areas such as tendering, bidding, and contract
negotiations, budget management and oversight, anti-corruption,
and establishment of clear policy and regulatory practices.
(c) Fellowships.--
(1) In general.--YALI shall support the participation in
the United States in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for
Young African Leaders of fellows from Africa who--
(A) are between 25 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 Educational 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
(B) criteria for determining which eligible
applicants will be selected.
(d) Reciprocal Exchanges.--Subject to the approval 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 Networks.--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 entrepreneurship, civic
leadership, and public management to young African leaders who
are between 18 and 35 years of age, have demonstrated strong
capabilities in entrepreneurship, innovation, public service
and leadership, and peace-building and conflict resolution, and
have had a positive impact in their communities, organizations,
or institutions; and
(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 oversee all United States-based
activities carried out under YALI, including--
(A) the participation of Mandela Washington Fellows
in a 6-week Leadership Institute at a United States
educational institution 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) 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
nonprofit sectors.
(2) Africa-based activities.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator for the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments 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 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 pursuant to subsection
(e), and through online and in-person courses offered
by such centers; and
(C) opportunities for networking and engagement
with--
(i) alumni of the Mandela Washington
Fellowship for Young African Leaders;
(ii) alumni of programs at regional
leadership centers established pursuant to
subsection (e);
(iii) United States and like-minded
diplomatic missions, business leaders, and
others as appropriate; and
(iv) where practicable and appropriate,
other United States-funded regional leadership
programs, including the Young Southeast Asian
Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the Young Leaders
of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), the Young
Pacific Leaders (YPL), and the Young
Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative
(YTILI), and through Department of State
programs such as the Community Engagement
Exchange Program and other initiatives.
(3) Implementation.--To carry out this subsection, 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 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 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 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 program;
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the program and
progress made toward achieving such goals, targets, and planned
outcomes; and
(3) a strategy to ensure the program is promoting United
States foreign policy goals in Africa, including ensuring that
the program is clearly branded, paired with robust public
diplomacy efforts, and incorporates diversity among
participants as practicable, including countries and
communities in Africa 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 the following 4 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 includes--
(1) a description of the progress made toward achieving the
goals, targets, and planned outcomes described 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, particularly in areas
of increased private sector investment, trade promotion,
support to civil society, improved 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 subsection,
an assessment of the feasibility of expanding YALI to Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.
(i) 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.
(j) Sunset.--This section shall cease to have effect on the date
that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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