Profile: Dr. Kamal-deen Ali appointed as Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority

Accra, Jan 28, GNA – Government has appointed Dr. Kamal-deen Ali, a retired Naval Captain and leading maritime law expert, as the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority.

Dr. Ali brings to the role a unique blend of academic excellence, a distinguished professional career, and extensive experience in law, maritime governance, defense, security, and international relations.

He has more than 26 years of experience as a private legal practitioner, served in the Ghana Armed Forces and retired voluntarily after 20 years of a distinguished career.

Before his appointment, Dr. Ali served as the Executive Director of the Centre for Maritime Law and Security Africa (CEMLAWS Africa), a leading policy advisory and reform organisation working across several African countries, including Nigeria, The Gambia, and South Africa.

Dr. Ali becomes the fourth Director-General of the Authority since its establishment and the first mainstream industry expert to hold the position.

His appointment is expected to strengthen Ghana’s ocean governance and also enhance the country’s stature at the continental and global levels.

His notable achievements include serving on Ghana’s legal team in the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire maritime boundary dispute, leading the drafting of the Ghana Maritime Offences Bill, and contributing to the development of Ghana’s National Integrated Maritime Strategy.

He also played a key role in developing the Blue Economy Handbook for Africa under the auspices of UNECA and led the drafting of annexes to the African Maritime Charter in 2016.

Also, he is recognised among the top 50 personalities influencing Africa’s Blue Economy in 2023–2024.

From 2020 to 2022, Dr. Ali served as a technical advisor to the Global High-Level Panel on a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which was led by 19 eminent world leaders, including the Presidents of Australia, Canada, Ghana, Japan, Kenya, Norway, the UK, and the USA.

He is a visiting lecturer at the International Maritime Law Institute in Malta, an external examiner at the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, and a Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations Ghana.

Dr. Ali is also the author of the book “Maritime Security Cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea: Prospects and Challenges”.

GNA