Zaheer Sooliman, 24, is helping reshape how young Africans engage with global diplomacy. As co-founder and executive director of the Global Africa MUN Agency (G.A.M.A.), he is creating opportunities for young people to develop the skills, confidence and international perspective needed to influence global decision-making.
A graduate in Digital Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, Sooliman is currently completing a master's degree in Media, Communications and Creative Industries at Sciences Po Paris as the first South African recipient of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. Through G.A.M.A., he has expanded access to diplomacy, international relations and multilateral processes, equipping young Africans with practical skills in negotiation, public speaking and policy analysis.
His leadership has extended onto the global stage. Sooliman has served as a junior policy negotiator supporting South Africa's participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations and represented the country as a youth delegate at the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York. These experiences have strengthened his commitment to ensuring young African voices are represented where global policies are shaped.
Driven by the belief that leadership begins with inclusion, Sooliman is bridging the worlds of policy, education and youth development. Through his work, he is ensuring that Africa's next generation is not simply participating in international conversations but helping to shape them.