Washington, USA
2021 World Bank & International Monetary Fund
Annual Meetings
The Annual and Spring Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations, and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.
YDC Delegates interact with experts from around the world while attending IMF-WBG Summit sessions and participating in meetings with stakeholders. The IMF-WBG Annual Meetings are an exclusive opportunity for Canadian youth to observe and learn from high-level discussions on international trade, finance, and comparative public policy.
Carter Vance, Head Delegate
Carter is currently a Policy Analyst with the Economic Development and Corporate Finance Branch of Finance Canada. He holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Ottawa, a Honours Bachelor of Social Work from Algoma University and a Master of Arts in Political Economy from Carleton University.
He has worked with a variety of governmental and non-governmental organizations throughout Canada, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean and Indonesia as a researcher and policy officer. Some of his roles have included working with Dominica State College to improve social outcomes for students with disabilities, working with Emmaus UK to provide better services to individuals experiencing homelessness and with Canada World Youth in Indonesia on youth employment and enterprise development. He has also worked with the Internet Society of North America on advancing policies on cybersecurity for consumer-level devices and as a Legislative Analyst at the Senate of Canada.
Antoine Congost, Communications Coordinator
Antoine is Assistant to the Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Montreal, where he is responsible for coordinating visits by dignitaries and official events. He also worked at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) on public education issues, as well as at the General Delegation of Quebec in Tokyo, on issues related to La Francophonie.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Studies and a Master's degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Montreal. His interests focus on international relations in Asia, and he made several stays in Japan during his studies. Passionate about diplomacy, he has participated in several simulations of international organizations. He also studied Higher Letters in a preparatory class in France.
Board Administrator of the Circle of Young Leaders of the International Economic Forum of the Americas, Antoine is particularly sensitive to the involvement of young people in international affairs. Within the Young Diplomats of Canada, he wishes to represent the diversity and commitment of young Canadians to major international decision-making bodies, and to participate in better explaining the role and impact of these organizations.
Laurent Bélanger, Delegate
Laurent is currently pursuing a Master in International Public Management at Sciences Po’s Paris School of International Affairs, where he focuses on energy, climate, and global economy. Alongside his studies, Laurent works as a strategic communications consultant with Inside Revolution, a boutique firm specializing in climate issues. He also serves as the Deputy Executive Director of European Horizons—a global policy incubator that seeks to strengthen transatlantic relations—and as a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum.
Prior to joining Sciences Po, Laurent completed his undergraduate degree at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, where he specialized in political philosophy and economic history. Beyond his extracurricular projects at St Andrews, he worked at the European Parliament Liaison Office in Washington D.C., and at E3G, Britain’s leading climate think tank, contributing to projects on EU gas markets and climate diplomacy.With strong interests in energy markets, climate change mitigation, and global governance, Laurent plans to build a career at the intersection of energy, finance, and foreign policy.
Sofia Cuyegkeng, Delegate
Sofia is a fourth year undergraduate student at The University of British Columbia (UBC) in the Bachelor + Master of Management Dual Degree Program, majoring in International Relations. She was born in Manila, The Philippines, but has lived in Vancouver since 2013. Her research interests include international political economy and law.
Through her work as a Junior Research Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC), Sofia has developed experience in technology policy and geopolitics, focusing on Southeast Asia. As part of the APFC Digital Asia research pillar, she worked on projects covering topics like artificial intelligence and 5G networks. In her free time, Sofia advocates for the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a member of the SDG Student Hub at UBC. Her passion lies at the crossroads of policy, technology, and business in generating social change. Some issues close to her heart include bridging the global digital divide, protecting human rights, and promoting socio-economic development.
Tiffany Lee, Delegate
Tiffany is a genuine, warm, and supportive person that rarely shies away from the opportunity to do the right thing. She strives to have a positive impact on others and the world. Few things bring her a deeper sense of joy and fulfillment than guiding others to grow into their best selves.
She completed her Bachelor of Science at UofT, worked at Health Science Authority in Singapore, founded Deo Tutoring, and is a Business Operations Manager at HSBC. As a Duke of Edinburgh International Award holder, she inspires and persuades people through conviction and leading by example. For the past 9 years, she has mentored 45 high school students to achieve distinguishable academic performance and volunteering. This year she was a judge for the Enactus Entrepreneurs Project Accelerator and a speaker on the HSBC Canada Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Forum. She is currently leading a cleanup initiative with WWF, OceanWise, the Great Canadian Shoreline, HSBC, the World Cleanup Committee, and many other participating countries.
In order to recover from this unprecedented pandemic, Tiffany believes collaborative efforts to develop international finance, build human capital, and strengthen resilience are now more relevant than ever. She is extremely excited to listen and contribute her ideas at the 2021 WBG-IMF Annual Meeting.
Zack Billick, Delegate
Zack is a fourth-year undergraduate student at McGill University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Jewish Studies. He is passionate about global business, the international community, regional politics, and the security of Canada and its allies. As such, Zack has completed community service trips to Kenya, Costa Rica, and Thailand in an effort to give back to the international community and become culturally aware. Additionally, Zack was selected by his university to work as a leadership facilitator on topics such as conflict resolution, negotiation, and inclusivity. Working as a research assistant, his current projects have led him to discover his passion for Middle East affairs and their connection to Canada. Moreover, he is in the process of developing various language skills to communicate and collaborate with Canadian allies all over the world.
Motivated by his intellectual interests and passion for international dialogue, Zack is extremely excited to attend the 2021 Fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG). He hopes to gain a further understanding of the intricacies that allow these multinational organizations to function.