By: Stephen N. Sonpon
Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, Liberia’s leading pro-democracy institution, has commence the 12th Cohort of the Young Political Leadership School Africa in the country.
The Young Political Leadership School Africa is being held under the theme “Unlocking Africa’s Potential: Youth Leadership for Economic Development and Political Stability.”
The event brought together young leaders from six African Countries to include, Cameroon, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Guinea, and Liberia-and 13 experienced facilitators, both international and local, who will engage with the future of Africa on critical issues of leadership, economic development, and political stability.
The five-day program, aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of fostering innovation, leadership, and collaborative development and bringing together 120 emerging leaders, with 45% female participation, from across Africa at the Bella Casa Hotel in Monrovia from 9-13 June 2025.
Giving the overview of the program Monday in Monrovia, Naymote Program Manager, Alphia Faith Kemokai said the YPLS Africa was founded with the mission to create a new generation of character-driven leaders who are accountable and responsive to the needs of citizens in their countries.
According to Ms. Kemokai, since the foundation in 2016, they have trained about 1,130 young leaders who are now contributing to Africa’s growth across various sectors-politics, business, governance, and civil society.
She indicated that problem with youth participation and leadership in Africa has long been one of the most significant challenges faced adding that even though Africa’s youth make up over 60% of the population, she still see limited opportunities for them to step into leadership roles and drive meaningful change.
Speaking earlier, Omolara Balogun, Board Chair, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development said the opening of the 12th Cohort of the Young Political Leadership School Africa (YPLS Africa)-a program that has grown from a national initiative into a Pan-African movement for democratic renewal and youth empowerment.
Madam Omolara Balogun furthered that Africa faces numerous challenges to include, youth exclusion, shrinking civic spaces, economic hardship, political instability, violent extremism, and the unprecedented setbacks caused by global crisis such as the pandemic and geopolitical tensions.
Other she pointed out are, the resurgence of military takeovers, the proliferation of restrictive laws, and the increasing securitization of activism threaten the very foundation of democratic engagement.
In her Keynote address, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah described the 12th Cohort of the Young Political Leadership School Africa as premium to young African Leadership which is generating a new movement of transformative leadership on the continent.
According to Amb. Nkrumah, ECOWAS will continue to push and fight for the right leadership and will engage with constructive dialogue, something She said everyone need to do so with one purpose.
She praised Naymote and Partners for empowering the continent younger generation adding that the Program aligns with EOWAS youth policy and related documents which describes the youth as a Center of Reconstruction and Development.
