Dr. Safiya Ali

LLB LLM PHD

Dr. Safiya Ali is an attorney at law from Trinidad and Tobago, admitted to practice in 1999, who has worked with governments and regional organisations in the Caribbean. Her career has primarily been in the field of public international law and regional integration, having worked for several years (the last five as General Counsel) at the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). She has negotiated and drafted treaties and other international agreements, both within the regional arrangements and externally, representing CARICOM, and has advised Member States and CARICOM institutions on all matters relating to treaties, international organisations and implementation of Community obligations. During her tenure at CARICOM she was fortunate to be part of many seminal moments in the advancement of CARICOM integration, including appearing several times before the CCJ in its the original jurisdiction.

Her PhD thesis entitled “Supranational Law, State Sovereignty and Regional Integration: The Caribbean Court of Justice and the Evolution of the Caribbean Community” examined the impact of the CCJ on the regional integration process in CARICOM, including the development of governance systems and rules, the increasing role of non-state actors and how the rulings of the CCJ have influenced the concept of integration itself. She is particularly interested in the role of small states in globalisation and regionalisation, and the challenges and experiences of small states in the Global South.