In a move to empower African youth with technical and leadership, US President Barack Obama at a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) town hall in Washington, D.C. announced plans to expand opportunities for youth ages 18 to 35 across Africa who are approximately 60 percent of Africa’s total population.
“By increasing opportunities for young men and women across Africa to gain important job skills, MCC is supporting and empowering them to build a better tomorrow for their communities,” MCC Chief Executive Officer Dana J. Hyde said. “For Africa to reach its full potential, it will need experienced public sector leaders who can write the next chapter in Africa’s story.”
The program dubbed the Africa’s Promise is a new Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) internship initiative under MCC-funded compact programs with a focus on reducing poverty through economic growth. Interns will learn best practices on project management – including financial and public sector management – in the local country context and be exposed to targeted professional development and networking opportunities in both the public and private sectors.