Applications are now open for the Dakar programme of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is an initiative of Barack Obama, former President of the United States, which dates back to 2010. The aim is to support young African leaders in their efforts to stimulate growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and improve peace and security on the African continent.

Initially, it was a series of forums high-level events, including the Obama Forum with Young African Leaders in August 2010, the Young African Women Pioneers Forum in June 2011 and the Innovation and Partnership Summit for Mentoring Young African Leaders in June 2012, in addition to some two thousand (2000) youth activities held at US embassies on the African continent.

The Centre Regional The YALI DAKAR Leadership Centre (CRL), housed within the Centre Africain d'Etudes Avancées en Management (CESAG), offers two types of training in the following 3 areas: Business and EntrepreneurshipCivic Leadership and Public Management. That's the truth:

• training A 5-week hybrid course with 2 weeks of online training followed by 3 weeks of face-to-face training in Dakar.
• Distance learning, which takes place over 8 weeks entirely online and asynchronously.

Eligibility criteria

• The project targets young people aged between 18 and 35 with leadership potential. The following elements are compulsory for admission to the call for applications:
  • be able to read and write in French ;
  • be a citizen or resident of one of the following 25 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles and Togo;
  • have a valid passport or identity document ;
  • be prepared to follow the 8-week online course and take part in distance learning activities;
  • Be prepared to follow the 2 weeks of online courses, take part in the activities and travel to Dakar for 3 weeks for a blended learning course;
  • have Internet access and a computer (computer or tablet) to follow the online training phases (hybrid and distance learning);
  • be ready to put the skills and leadership training received for their country and/or community after the programme.
• Depending on your profile or your project, you must choose a single area of training: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership or Public Management.
  • Public management
    • someone with a project or an idea for a project in the public sector (project bringing about change);
    • a civil servant, a contract employee of the State, an employee of the private sector or an agent of the decentralised administration;
  • Civic leadership (or civic engagement)
    • a project manager for civic engagement ;
    • a leader of a youth club, association, non-profit organisation, NGO or civil society organisation;
    • a social entrepreneur;
  • Business and entrepreneurship
    • a business project manager ;
    • an entrepreneur or company director.

For more information, please visit YALI.