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E. Nadeesh R. de Silva is a Sri Lankan first year Ph.D. candidate of International University of Japan who pursue his studies under the supervision of Senior Professor Osamu Nakamura. He represented Model WTO Conference 2018 held in Geneva, Switzerland as a Head Delegate. The Model WTO is a one-week simulation of WTO negotiations, organized by St. Gallen University and the WTO Headquarters in Geneva. Seventy two high-profile participants from all over the world were selected to participate in this unique event. Nadeesh R. de Silva successfully passed two selection rounds and qualified for the 21st edition of the Model WTO, took place in St. Gallen and Geneva from 6th to 13th, April, 2018.

The selection round based on an essay under the topic “How can investment actively be incorporated into GVCs for countries’ development strategies”. After the selection he was appointed as a Head Delegate of this simulation and it was a great opportunity for him to gather the knowledge of trade and investment patterns around the world.

The Model WTO 2018 negotiation topic based on Trade & Investment. It was aimed to create a framework of a potential Investment Facilitation Agreement. The Model WTO intended to facilitate participants to negotiate on the above areas as this has become even more important in recent times.

Nadeesh was the Head Delegate for Russian Federation in the simulation, and was the negotiator in the committee of Administrative Facilitation and International Cooperation. He participated for the Head Delegates Meetings held during the negotiations. Also he attended conferences with academics and WTO officials, presenting the current status of the WTO, the structure of the organization and its operations, the challenges in developing new agreements in the Doha Round and the problems with implementing new and innovative solutions based on the bureaucracy in existence. His committee arrived at a final declaration which he presented at the final meeting where WTO senior officials were present.

This conference provided most important opportunities for interacting with talented students from different universities and honing presentation, negotiations and leadership skills. It is a great exercise not only in the inner workings of the WTO, but also in the art of negotiation, personal interaction and economics, political science and sociology, law and, above all, the opportunity to work with bright young individuals for a week. It succeeded in providing participants a flavor of the WTO and exposing them to senior WTO officials and academics discussing the future of the organization.

Nadeesh as a student of IUJ could make IUJ proud by representing this international event with the chances to know the inner workings of the WTO, meet high-ranking officials at the organization and hear about their experiences, visit the WTO headquarters and spend a week in Switzerland, between the picturesque settings of St. Gallen University and the always amazing and surprising views from the banks of Lake Geneva.

Model WTO:
http://www.model-wto.org/