MUSCAT: In a rare recognition for the Sultanate of Oman, a young Omani executive has been selected by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be part of this year’s cohort of its Young Professionals Programme (YPP) – a prestigious initiative to build trade expertise among budding leaders from around the globe.
Samah Issa al Rawahi (pictured) was chosen from over 5,500 applicants in a highly competitive recruitment process that resulted in only 20 young professionals making the cut. Candidates are selected from developing economies and least developed countries (LDCs), especially WTO members that are under-represented at the professional level within the WTO Secretariat. The programme, launched in 2016, is a springboard for increasing diversity and broadening WTO membership representation, while building trade expertise among young people.
In a welcome ceremony held at WTO’s Geneva headquarters earlier this week, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala congratulated the Young Professionals on their success. She stressed the significance of their arrival at an important time for the organization, as it gears up for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) to be held in Abu Dhabi on February 26-29, 2024.
“In addition to beating out the tough competition, all twenty of you have something else in common, for each one of you is from an underrepresented member. And that is also another source of pride because there is no reason why any member of this organization should not at one time or the other have some representation,” she said.
DG Okonjo-Iweala told the YPs they should be “enormously proud” and hoped their year at the organization will contribute to building their WTO-related knowledge and skills. “The skills you take with you at the end of this year will be particularly valuable for you personally, your future endeavours and for your home countries. But it is beyond that we also need your skills. It is a two-way trade. It is not just about you learning, it is about us learning from you.”
Speaking on behalf of the YPs, Samah Issa al Rawahi, who is only the second Omani to have been selected to join the programme, said: “Our dedication to this endeavour is further fuelled by the recognition that the Young Professionals Programme is not just a capacity-building initiative but also an opportunity for us to leverage our accumulated experience and knowledge. We are eager to contribute to emerging trade topics such as digital trade, climate change, environmental sustainability, and the needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), thereby supporting the existing work of the WTO.”
“We stand resolute in our commitment to tirelessly work towards the WTO's goals, unified in our belief that together, we can shape a world where trade becomes a powerful force for positive change,” she added.
During their first weeks at the Secretariat, YPs have benefited from a tailored, intensive and enriched induction programme designed to give them a global perspective on the work of the WTO. This year, Burkina Faso, Pakistan, Senegal, Seychelles and Tanzania are represented for the first time among the participants in the Young Professionals Programme.
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