The Ambassador of the United States of America, H.E. Robert Jackson, last week, treated corporate Ghana to a reception to discuss support and partnerships for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in the West African sub-region.

He reaffirmed President Obama’s commitment to investing in the development of the African youth.

In July 2014, President Obama announced the creation of four YALI Regional Leadership Centers in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal.

These centers are serving as regional hubs across the continent to encourage transformational learning and enhanced leadership skills. The YALI Regional Leadership Centers are a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in close partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Each Regional Leadership Center is managed under a public-private partnership.

Local companies and organisations such as Vodafone, Barclays Bank, AngloGold Ashanti, Ghana Chamber of Mines, Concord Consulting, Integriti PR, Kasapreko Group, Centre for CSR, West Africa, SSNIT, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and other captains of industry have developed affinity for the initiative.

Vodafone Ghana, represented by Ms. Veronica Da-Silva, signed a partnership agreement with the YALI West Africa RLC at the event.

While thanking Vodafone and other partners such as Mastercard Foundation, Africa 2.0., Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), Microsoft and others, Dr. Victor Osei, the Director of the YALI West Africa RLC encouraged guests to offer themselves as mentors to participants and fellows of the RLC. He noted that there is room for more partnerships and support of varying kinds.

Fellows from Cohort I and II, all 105 Cohort III participants, staff of the RLC, were present at the reception. Fellows of Cohort I made a case to guests and enumerated ways their skills and competences have been enhanced by the YALI leadership experience. The event was graced by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary for US Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Alex Deprez, USAID Mission Director for West Africa and other Embassy staff.

The YALI RLC West Africa runs three cohorts in a year. Application for the next Cohort will soon be announced.