The Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the new flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.

The Washington Fellowship, which begins in 2014, will bring 500 young leaders to the United States each year for academic coursework and leadership training. The program will create unique opportunities in Africa for Fellows to put new skills to practical use in leading organizations, communities, and countries.

“We need young Africans who are standing up and making things happen not only in their own countries but around the world… Africa’s future belongs to its young people.” – U.S. President Barack Obama

Washington Fellows will attend academic and leadership institutes focused on Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, or Public Management. A select number of Fellows will also gain hands on experience in internships at U.S. businesses, civil society organizations, and public agencies.

Young leaders from across Africa are strongly encouraged to apply. The online application for the Washington Fellowship is currently available at www.irex.org/applyyali. Completed applications, including all supporting documents, are due by 12:00 midnight Eastern Standard Time, Monday, January 27, 2014.

More information is available at youngafricanleaders.state.gov.

Participating countries include: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.