Deputy Director-General Frederick Yonov Agah welcomed the new cohort of young professionals to the WTO at a virtual welcoming ceremony on 3 February. Now in its fifth year, the Young Professionals Programme provides a unique opportunity for qualified individuals to spend a year at the WTO in order to enhance their knowledge and skills related to the WTO and international trade issues.
Launched in 2016, the Young Professionals Programme underlines the WTO's efforts to increase diversity and broaden the representation of its membership. Participants come from developing and least developed countries — especially from WTO members that are under-represented at the professional level in the WTO Secretariat.
This year the group includes 14 professionals from: Bangladesh, Belize, Dominican Republic, Eswatini, Guatemala, Georgia, Indonesia, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand. They were selected from more than 2,400 candidates following a competitive selection process.
In his welcoming remarks, DDG Agah underlined the unprecedented political challenges the WTO is currently facing and the important decisions to be taken this year as members look forward to the appointment of a new Director-General and agreeing on the date of the 12th Ministerial Conference. He encouraged the young professionals to be “vigilant and constructive” and to make the most of their time at the WTO during this challenging period for the organization and the world.
“WTO members are discussing reforms that will respond to changes in the way business is done across borders. Alongside multilateral negotiations on fisheries subsidies which would help sustain marine fish stocks, groups of members are looking at issues such as e-commerce, domestic regulation in services, investment facilitation for development, women's economic empowerment and the relationship between trade and the different facets of environmental sustainability,” he said.
The event was attended by the WTO ambassadors and representatives from the home member of origin of the young professionals and by directors and supervisors of the WTO host divisions.
Speaking on behalf of the young professionals, Ting-Wei Chiang of Chinese Taipei said: “We will immerse ourselves in understanding the mode of functioning of the multilateral trading system and taking every opportunity to learn from world class experts within and outside the WTO. By engaging in the central work of the organization, we hope to make a valuable contribution to the evolution of the multilateral trading system while further enhancing our practical skills and knowledge in the field of international trade.”
Since their arrival on 6 January, the new cohorts have benefited from a tailored, intensive and enriched two-week virtual induction programme. This novel training provided the young professionals with a valuable horizontal perspective of the work of the WTO. Over 25 Secretariat staff members were involved in this training which updated the young professionals on recent developments and the overall state of play in the WTO.
For the 5th YPs' info, please see the WTO website.
