Some 32 young Ghanaians have been selected by the United States (US) Embassy in Ghana for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF).

The group includes 18 women and 14 men selected among nearly 3,000 competitive applications from across the country.

A statement issued by the Embassy and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the Fellows would travel later in June 2023, for intensive professional development and leadership training in Washington, D.C. and in various cities across the United States.

It said the group comprised professionals from a diverse range of fields and regions, focused on issues such as climate change, combatting gender-based violence and child labour, treatment of non-communicable Diseases and mental health and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

The statement said the 2023 group also included a Ghanaian youth leader as part of the African Union’s cohort.

It said when they returned, they would join the nearly 3,000-strong U.S. exchange alumni network in Ghana.

The network actively engages with U.S. and Ghanaian leaders to develop community-based solutions to public policy challenges, including in health, education, human rights, women’s empowerment, and other critical areas.

Madam Virginia E. Palmer, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, said: “The Mandela Washington Fellowship supports the next generation of Ghanaian leaders in civil society, public service, business, and public health. Since 2014, nearly 300 young Ghanaians have benefited from this opportunity and returned to Ghana inspired to lead in their respective fields. We cannot wait to follow their success in the coming years.”

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship programme under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), providing nearly 700 young African leaders with leadership development and training in the United States each year.

Over 5,000 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Fellowship since 2014.