The Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program (ADEL) is the flagship youth-leadership initiative of the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), a Rabat-based think tank. Each year it selects 30–50 young professionals aged 25–35 who are citizens of countries across the Atlantic Basin — Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean and Western Europe — and brings them to Rabat, Morocco for an intensive multi-day program held just before the annual Atlantic Dialogues conference. Participants join workshops, structured dialogues with senior policymakers, site visits and leadership training, then take part in the conference itself as full delegates. Running since 2012, ADEL has built a cross-continental network of more than 490 alumni.
Benefits & funding
- Fully funded participation: the Policy Center covers economy-class round-trip airfare, ground transportation in Morocco, and hotel accommodation for the duration of the program and conference.
- Full delegate access to the Atlantic Dialogues conference, including opportunities to speak in sessions and the closing plenary.
- Leadership training plus design-thinking and collective-intelligence workshops, and site visits.
- Direct engagement with senior decision-makers and a lasting place in the 490+-member ADEL alumni network.
- Note: meals and lodging for an accompanying spouse are not covered (a spouse may share the participant’s room for a small fee).
Eligibility
- Age 25–35.
- Citizen of a country bordering the Atlantic Basin — Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean or Western Europe. Citizenship, not current residence, is what counts.
- Applicants from Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and Eastern Europe are not eligible.
- Full working fluency in English — the entire program runs in English, and the CV and cover letter must be written in English.
- Open to professionals across sectors who show leadership and commitment to Atlantic development issues; no specific degree or minimum years of experience is required.
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Eligible nationalities
Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Republic of the Congo
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DR Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe · USA · Canada · Mexico · Belize · Costa Rica · El Salvador · Guatemala · Honduras · Nicaragua · Panama · Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Grenada · Haiti · Jamaica · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago · Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Uruguay · Venezuela · Portugal · Spain · France · UK · Ireland · Belgium · Netherlands · Luxembourg · Germany · Italy · Switzerland · Austria · Denmark · Norway · Sweden · Finland · Iceland · Greece · Malta
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Age requirement
25–35 yrs
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We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Prepare a CV/résumé in English (typically a maximum of two pages) and a short personal statement or cover letter in English.
- 2Submit the application through the online form on the current-year call for applications, linked from the ADEL program page.
- 3Await the outcome — all applicants are notified by email about two months after the call closes.
Program timeline
May–June
Call for applications open (the 2026 cycle closed in June 2026).
About two months after the deadline
Selection results notified by email.
ADEL program, held immediately before the Atlantic Dialogues conference.
Around December, Rabat, Morocco