In his opening remarks, Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang said: “The youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the change-makers of today.” He stressed the importance of including young voices in decision-making, noting that the WTO’s Trade for Peace (T4P) Programme’s Future Leaders Initiative aims to empower youth as active agents of stability and prosperity.
An “Intergenerational Perspectives on Trade and Peace” panel brought together Ambassador Alan Wolff, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Ms. Afomia Andualem, CEO and Co-Founder of Agelgil Eco- Packaging in Ethiopia, Mr. Eric Andrew, a WTO Young Trade Leader and Founder of AgrofixiNG in Nigeria, and Ms. Maria Guterres, Vice-Coordinator of the Timorese Youth Initiative for Development.
The panelists explored the historical connection between trade and peace, with each speaker sharing their perspectives on how youth can contribute to fostering peace through trade.
The event saw the launch of videos showcasing findings from students of the University of St. Gallen University in Switzerland and from experts in the area of trade and peace. These videos stemmed from a project with the University of St. Gallen undertaken from September to December 2023 aimed at delving into the intersection of trade and peace.
The videos sparked lively breakout discussions, where participants explored practical steps to enhance youth involvement in the link between trade and peace. The discussions also encompassed the research findings of students taking part in the autumn 2023 TradeLab International Economic Law Clinic at the Geneva Graduate Institute, who explored the interlinkages between trade and peace agreements and negotiations.
The event culminated in a collective call to action, delivered by Kérshia Cavele, Project Coordinator of the Trade for Peace Programme, urging policymakers to support youth-driven initiatives and create pathways for sustainable peace through trade. She noted that the event underscored the growing recognition of youth as essential players in addressing the challenges facing fragile and conflict affected states. By fostering academic insights with real-world experiences, the “Trade for Peace: Future Leaders Initiative” continues to pave the way for innovative solutions that leverage the multilateral trading system as a tool for peacebuilding.
The youth event was organized during the 2024 Geneva Peace Week, which brings together organizations in Geneva and their international partners to share knowledge and best practice. At the Opening Ceremony, Ms. Milzat Salime of the WTO’s Trade for Peace team emphasized the vital role of youth in peacebuilding. WTO Deputy Director General Xiangchen Zhang participated in a high-level panel titled Peace, Trade, Development and Innovations: Insights from International Leaders and Ms Maika Oshikawa, Director of the WTO’s Accessions Division, delivered opening remarks in the session titled Trade and SME-led Growth in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings: Key Principles for Inter-Agency Collaboration.
Background
The Trade for Peace (T4P) Programme emerged from the vision of the g7+ WTO Accessions Group, a group of fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) associated with WTO accession. Launched at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in 2017, the Group’s aim is to integrate FCS into the multilateral trading system through WTO membership, strengthening economic and trade policy frameworks while promoting transparency and good governance. Initially organized under the “Trade for Peace through WTO Accession” initiative, it expanded into the T4P Programme in 2021.
The T4P Programme highlights trade and economic integration as key components in fostering durable peace and stability in fragile regions. Building on this foundation, the Trade for Peace: Future Leaders Initiative extends these efforts by engaging youth, focusing on raising awareness of their role in peacebuilding through trade, providing platforms for their voices, and fostering innovative solutions.
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