The US Vice President Kamala Harris has revealed plans to work with Congress to fund an additional government investment of more than $100 million in the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
VP Harris made the announcement at the recently-held U.S-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
The Young African Leaders Exchange, the first pan-African virtual platform will be established by USAID in collaboration with partners. This will enable the Diaspora and other important stakeholders to directly connect with nearly 28,000 YALI alumni from 49 sub-Saharan countries since the launch of YALI in 2010.
The Exchange fosters networking, enhances the leadership of women and marginalized youth, highlights initiatives, strengthens the role of mentors and coaches, and assists young African leaders in obtaining grants or internships.
With the additional funding, YALI will be able to train and mentor more young African men and women in leadership roles, which will result in transformational change for the continent as a whole.
Also with the help of these funds, YALI will be able to mobilize the private sector, the African Diaspora, and governments to advance social inclusion, gender equality, digital connectivity, and business and entrepreneurship among young African leaders as well as public administration and civic leadership.
The new funding will also enable the first pan-African YALI Alumni Expo and Trade Show, which will highlight alumni innovations and strengthen their connections with professionals from business, civil society, government, and the diaspora.
