The U.S. State Department in collaboration with the Meridian International Center will host an Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African leaders in Washington, D.C., this month.
The two-day summit, beginning on Thursday, will bring more than 60 participants representing nearly every sub-Saharan African country for three weeks of professional exchange and entrepreneurial hands-on training. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will welcome participants on Wednesday in the George C. Marshall Center at the Department of State.
The summit will feature sessions with inspirational business leaders and entrepreneurs. After the conference, participants will begin the Mentoring Partnership and travel to business internships in Seattle, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Miami, Huntsville, Denver, Chicago, or Cincinnati. Two weeks in U.S. cities will provide a hands-on experience in the American workplace and exposure to cultural aspects of American life. The training aims to enhance U.S.-Africa collaboration to promote business innovation, investment, and social responsibility activities in Africa, the State Department said in a statement.
A concluding workshop and closing ceremonies will take place in Chicago, June 29-30.
The Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership is this year's contribution to the Obama Administration's President's Young African Leaders' Initiative - a long-term effort to develop an enduring and productive U.S.-Africa relationship with the continent's youth.
The Summit will stress entrepreneurship as a tool for harnessing Africa's intellectual capital to create jobs and sustainable, equitable opportunities.
Several private and public organizations, including Google, IBM, DEMO, Microsoft, International Monetary Fund, and U.S. Agency for International Development, have come forward to share their expertise to advance African youths' skill development during this year's program.
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