Introduced in Senate

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2236 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2236

  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 10, 2025

 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 TITLES.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.

    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.

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 that--
                    (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 2024; 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.

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 that--
            (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 security, and public administration; and
            (2) 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--
                    (A) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
                    (B) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
                entrepreneurship, innovation, public service and
                leadership, and peace-building and conflict resolution;
                and
                    (C) 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.--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 carry out this
        subsection by seeking to partner with the private sector--
                    (A) to pursue public-private partnerships;
                    (B) to leverage private sector expertise;
                    (C) to expand networking opportunities; and
                    (D) to 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.
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