WASHINGTON – President Obama on Monday announced the renaming of a key U.S. program for young African leaders to honor the life and legacy of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The change was prompted by legislative language written by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, and passed by Congress earlier this year in the FY14 “Omnibus” spending bill. Accordingly, the “Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders” will now be known as the “Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.”
The Fellowship is the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which aims to empower young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. Fellowships provide outstanding young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at U.S. universities, and with support for professional development after they return home. Also on Monday, the President announced the creation of four Regional Leadership Centers in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa to continue to cultivate the YALI network once the fellows return home.
“Nelson Mandela's historic contributions to South Africa and the world serve as an enduring reminder of true leadership that paved the way for a more promising future,” Senator Coons said. “President Mandela's legacy of extraordinary service, unwavering grace, capacity for forgiveness, and unrelenting commitment to justice is a model for the next generation of African leaders. Renaming the Washington Fellowship after President Mandela will not only honor his legacy, but will also serve as a constant reminder of the cherished values at the heart of the United States' partnership with Africa. Through YALI, the U.S. has demonstrated its investment and commitment to the next generation of Africa’s most promising leaders.”
The 2014 Washington Fellows are 500 of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most promising young leaders ages 25 to 35. The Fellows have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. All Sub-Saharan countries are represented in the 2014 cohort of Washington Fellows. Fifty percent of Fellows are women.
Senator Coons, also a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, added language in January to the State & Foreign Operations title of the FY14 “Omnibus” spending bill requesting that the State Department designate a portion of the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders to honor President Mandela.