The youth represent an important percentage in most African countries. In Morocco, around 30% of the population is aged between 15 and 29. Everywhere, young people are the driving force behind development, growth and innovation. Therefore, there is a need for policies promoting strong education, youth employment and social inclusion, and favoring youth leadership and participation. These challenges are even more important in the African continent in order to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend.

The Leadership and Youth Opportunities program focuses on promoting a spirit of policy entrepreneurship, innovation, and global engagement. It strives to drive young leaders, with proven experience in leadership and with social or economic concern, to achieve their ambition and strengthen their skills, through structured leadership development programs and through discussions and debate with senior government, corporate and civic leaders.

These opportunities aim at bridging the generation gap, building a large interconnected community of leaders which will help strengthen Morocco’s global connections and actively engage the Moroccan Diaspora. It is also a platform gathering young leaders with different backgrounds and from different regions, to share their experiences and discuss their ideas and challenges.

As we are committed to give the next generation of leaders the opportunity to reinforce the potential of the southern Atlantic, we are planning on offering a range of fellowship opportunities for leaders from the business, government, and NGO sectors. Ultimately, our purpose is to create southern connections and build networks around contemporary development, business and other interregional shared issues.

Through the Wider Atlantic Network for Africa’s Transformation, The Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders and The Volunteer Club, OCP Policy Center is dedicated to connecting with rising leaders of future generations. This wide community of exceptional young leaders is maintained through a tailor made alumni agenda and activities.

Wider Atlantic Network for Africa’s Transformation

OCP Policy Center strives to build a network of young leaders dedicated to Africa’s transformation, by providing a space of cooperation for a new generation of decision makers in the economic, policy, business and civil society sectors. Committed to giving the next generation of leaders the opportunity to lead the evolution of the Wider Atlantic basin, we are eager to build sustainable networks across sectors and continents, and bring brilliant young people together, with the common purpose of fulfilling African opportunities of an inclusive growth, through natural resource transformation. Behind the growth are the implementation of better economic policies as well as a more efficient integration into a wider Atlantic market which would benefit the region as a whole. The contribution to positive learning about Africa on a wider scale and sustainability of dialogue and peer monitoring on shared issues and strategies, as well as global concerns, are also the drivers of our initiative.

This unique fellowship opportunity would enable young leaders from the wider Atlantic basin, committed to Africa’s development, to forge links that would shape global affairs for generations to come.  The program will seek rising decision makers between the ages of 28 and 40 from Africa, Latin America, the United States and Europe to come together for immersive leadership development that would unfold over 24 months.

Selected leaders, Partners, would begin their fellowship in Morocco with comprehensive orientation adjacent to OCP Policy Center’s flagship conference, The Atlantic Dialogues.  Partners will travel twice during their fellowship for periods of approximately 10-12 days: the first year in Africa, the following year in the U.S./Latin America.  Each program will follow a similar format, combining dialogues with key leaders across sectors, site visits to major government and business centers, cultural experiences, and opportunities for networking and exchange. The Fellowship will focus on key policy areas considered as a challenge that the African continent is facing today, such as: energy, agriculture, environment, and food security; long term development; economy and workforce; foreign and security policy; social, demographic, and cultural change etc.

The Wider Atlantic Partners have proven leadership track records in organizations spanning government, business, non-profits, think tanks, and media, and will be selected on the basis of their drive to forge connections, their energy to effect change, their ability to think creatively, and their capacity to advance a new wider Atlantic agenda, while holding Africa as the heart of the process.  The Wider Atlantic Network will serve as a gateway to a lifelong relationship with the issues, people, and institutions, empowering Partners to practice 21^st century leadership in their home institutions and countries.

The call for applications explaining requirements and Fellowship itinerary is not open yet.

Emerging Leaders

The Emerging Leaders is a tailor-made program which brings together ascending pacesetters from around the Atlantic Basin, offering a combination of leadership development training, working sessions, and conversations with prominent thinkers. The emerging leaders are then invited to participate in the Atlantic Dialogues conference. With the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program, OCP Policy Center and The German Marshall Fund of the United States foster a unique network across generations, continents, and cultures, giving the next generation of leaders a place at the table, and adding their own perspective and contribution to the current conversation.

The Atlantic Dialogues is a platform where emerging leaders in the world of politics, business, and ideas engage with senior policymakers, as well as business and media representatives. By encouraging a lively and informal exchange of views between emerging leaders and today’s decision-makers, the conference offers a strategic perspective on policy questions affecting the Atlantic Basin.

 The Emerging Leaders at The Atlantic Dialogues are recommended by peers and senior individuals in their field, have between the ages of 23 and 35, demonstrate leadership potential in their sector, and are dedicated to strengthening ties across the Atlantic.

The Atlantic Dialogues conference offers selected Emerging Leaders a unique opportunity of interaction with a diverse group of current and future leaders from around the Atlantic Basin and creation of long lasting ties to build an Atlantic community of young leaders.

Volunteer Club

Through volunteering experiences, OCP Policy Center strives to offer highly motivated students and young professionals the opportunity of a direct immersion in major conferences organized with the Think Tank’s various international partners in Morocco. The volunteers are an integral part of the success of our events and get first-hand experience of high-level event organizations on an operational level.

Selected volunteers work closely with the Think Tank’s staff in the run-up to the event and assist in a wide array of logistical and administrative tasks during the respective conferences, including but not limited to security, guest relations, production, transportation assistance, and media. Volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in parts of the official program.

To thank them for their valued involvement and unfailing commitment, a certificate is systematically delivered by the organizers, integrating them into their young leaders’ networks, with the possibility of being recommended as interns, or even collaborators. The Volunteer Club offers Moroccan and international college graduates an alumni program, consisting of roundtables and seminars designed to strengthen their leadership capacity and enforce their integration to the labor market.

Moroccan and international students and young professionals who act as volunteers are fluent in English and preferably French or Arabic; have excellent communication skills; strong interest in our programs; and motivation to work flexible hours and handle logistical and administrative work.