I am very happy to be with all of you to celebrate your graduation as Young African Leaders. You are an impressive, diverse, and inclusive group, hailing from 21 countries in the region. And it is good to see so many women among you.
You were all selected into this competitive program because you are already leaders. Each of you possesses the drive and ambition to create change in your communities. Among your cohort are human rights advocates, social entrepreneurs, doctors, and farmers combating climate change. Each of you is a change maker, contributing a unique perspective, experience and set of skills to this program.
YALI is only one stop on your journey of being African leaders. We all need help to achieve our goals. We hope that this program has strengthened your skills to play a part in addressing the challenges related to transparent and accountable governance, a robust and healthy economy, and solutions for community issues.
You step through these doors and become YALI alumni. You are surrounded by pioneers, like yourselves, who have taken their dreams and made them a reality. The U.S. Government is committed to supporting the next generation of African leaders. Our investment in the future of Africa has already been paying off, as we can see from the impactful work of the 5,700 graduates who have come before you.
You have Novalie Houngbedji from Benin, who after losing the use of his legs in 2018, created DigitAll Farmer, an e-commerce site that links farmers to consumers.
You join the company of Viviane Tathi from Cameroon, who founded the Association Sourire des Femmes, an NGO campaigning to protect young women and girls from gender-based violence and early marriage.
These are only two examples and I could provide many more. I encourage you to find support from this vast network of young leaders that you are now part of.
Through your work and commitment to the development of your communities and countries, you are showing us that you have what it takes to lead Africa to positive change.
I therefore end with a note of hope, but also of certainty, that the young leaders of YALI will be among those who will carry out the initiatives that will shape this Africa of which we all dream about. As Africa’s newest leaders, you are writing the history book of Africa’s development.
Thank you!
