French president Emmanuel Macron and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame are the patrons of the 2023 “Young Leaders” class for which prospective beneficiaries are being encouraged to apply.
From February 16, 2023 to March 17, 2023, the French-African Foundation is calling on young people from Africa and France to apply for the new edition of its flagship “Young Leaders” program.
This new class will be placed under the high patronage of President Macron and his Rwanda counterpart Kagame.
The French-African Foundation is looking for 30 young people from Africa and France who will make up the new class of its program.
The overall aim is for them to contribute meaningfully to the Franco-African dialogue in all its spheres.
The theme of this year’s Young Leaders program is “Liberez les Energies” or Unleashing Energy.
Organisers described this theme as positive and forward-looking in a bid to unite all committed and talented Franco-African youth.
Several criteria must be met by applicants who must be between 28 and 40 years of age in 2023, demonstrate positive leadership or have demonstrated exceptional professional qualities in their fields of endeavour.
English language skills for the applicants are mandatory while a command of French is not required but will be welcomed.
All spheres of human endeavour pertains including for artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, executives, diplomats, politicians, activists, journalists and other actors.
Created in 2019, the French-African Foundation works to create generations of committed leaders in France and Africa. Each year, the Foundation invites applicants in all countries of the continent and in France in order to select and bring together the most promising Franco-African talents who embody openness to the world, a sense of sharing, and a desire for excellence.
In 2021, the Foundation doubled its membership to 100 Young Leaders to address the crisis of Covid-19 and the laureates met in Paris and Dakar under the high patronage of President Macky Sall who succeeded Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, the sponsor of the class of 2019 alongside his French counterpart.
Placed under the double patronage of Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Paul Kagame, the Foundation will bring together the new class for a week in France in June 2023 and then a week in Rwanda in the fall of the same year.
Their sessions will be tailored around meetings, training sessions, and favoured moments of professional and personal exchanges, in contact with leading Franco-African and international personalities from the political, economic, cultural, sports and associate spheres.
A high-level jury will select the winners and the results will be announced in May 2023.
The Foundation is supported by various institutions such as the French Development Agency, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and private groups such as Meridiam and the firm Concerto.
Its Board of Trustees includes leading Franco-African personalities, among them Koyo Kouoh, Managing Director of Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town, Patrick Dupoux, Managing Partner Africa, The Boston Consulting Group, Hassanein Hiridjee, CEO of the Axian Group, Remy Rioux, CEO of AFD, Fabrice Le Sache, Vice-President and Spokesperson of MEDEF, Thierry Deau, CEO of Meridiam.