President Obama will hold a town-hall meeting in Washington Monday with 500 young African leaders and announce expanded initiatives to boost economic opportunity in Africa.
A White House official said Mr. Obama will offer $38 million through the U.S. Agency for International Development to build four “regional leadership centers” in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa.
The president also will rename a fellowship to honor the late South African president Nelson Mandela. The fellowship will be expanded from 500 participants to 1,000 by 2016.
“The United States is investing in the next generation of African leaders, and has committed significant resources to enhance leadership skills, bolster entrepreneurship, and connect young African leaders with one another, the United States, and the American people,” the official said.
Mr. Obama is also expected to announce new public-private partnerships to create programs to support young African leaders. The new investments will include the development of the regional leadership centers, online classes and resources, along with seed funding, mentoring, and networking opportunities, the White House said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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