The WTO has announced the candidates selected for the 2026 Young Trade Leaders Programme, an initiative launched two years ago to foster a better understanding of the WTO’s work and international trade among young people. Seven individuals have been selected to form the latest cohort, who will begin immediately for a period of one year.
https://www.digital.zenithbank.com/ZEQ/ZEQ-jan-2026/index.html#p=1The Young Trade Leaders Programme was launched in 2024 to bring young people closer to the work of the WTO. By creating a global network of enthusiastic young trade leaders, it aims at promoting a better understanding of the WTO’s role in supporting international trade.
The Young Trade Leaders are invited to bring fresh ideas about the role of trade and the WTO, while also having the opportunity to learn about the organization’s work and advance its mission.
More information on the programme is available here.
About the participants
Following a rigorous selection process, seven candidates were selected from more than 1,300 applications from around the world to form the third cohort of WTO Young Trade Leaders. The selected participants were chosen on the basis of their background and experience, and the strength of their application.
The selected candidates are:
- Piyush Acharya, 18, incoming computer science undergraduate major from the United States.
- Karen Bailón, 24, international relations graduate and climate advocate from Ecuador.
- Noppon Chhim, 23, project coordinator and trade policy advocate from Cambodia.
- Nor Fekri, 21, master’s student in international business from Morocco.
- Eve Ang Yee Leng, 18, incoming undergraduate in global health and social medicine from Singapore.
- Samuel Petrás, 20, undergraduate student in economics and international trade from the Slovak Republic.
- Akshat Sharma, 22, education technology entrepreneur from India.
You can find more information on the participants here.
Benefits
Participants will have the opportunity to take advantage of training courses organized by the WTO, to benefit from WTO Secretariat advice and mentoring, and to receive support when organizing WTO-related activities in their home countries.
Participants will also travel to Geneva for the 2026 WTO Public Forum in September, where they will attend a full-day workshop and participate actively in Forum activities.
