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Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Office of The Director-General & Legal Affairs
Her Excellency Jerusa Léa ALI – Director General
DGMFA@bahamas.gov.bs
Ambassador Jerusa Léa Ali is based in Nassau, New Providence, where she currently serves as the Director General of the Department of Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. She is responsible for the Foreign Service and the management of technical Bureaus and Divisions in the Department. As a diplomat, she is deeply committed to advancing The Bahamas’ interests and strengthening diplomatic ties with trusted partners.
Ambassador Ali joined the Foreign Service in 2000 after graduating from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University with a BSc in Foreign Service (Regional Studies: Asia and Africa). She held assignments in the International Relations Division, the Legal Affairs Division and the Protocol Division. Ambassador Ali also holds an MA in International Relations (Diplomacy) from Keele University, an LLM in Public International Law (Human Rights) from the University of Nottingham, and an ABD in Legal Studies (International Criminal Law) from Carleton University.
Before assuming the position of Director General in 2023, Ambassador Ali worked as a researcher and lecturer in international law and international relations in Universities in Canada, the United States and Nigeria among other countries. Her experience teaching other diplomats international law and the settlement of disputes and crisis simulation gives her an appreciation for the important role of mentorship in diplomacy.
In addition to her current role, Ambassador Ali is The Bahamas’ representative to the Haiti Gang Suppression Force (GSF) Standing Group of Partners under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2793 (2023). Ambassador Ali is passionate about humanitarian and environmental causes. She is a Board Member of the Bahamas Red Cross Society (BRC) and a volunteer with the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).
Languages: English; Japanese; basic command of French, Spanish, Arabic, Yoruba.
Ms. Keva Bain – Deputy Director General
kevabain@bahamas.gov.bs
Keva Lorraine Bain is a career Public Servant and an attorney-at-law. She recently served as, the Permanent Representative of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Ambassador to Switzerland. During her time in Geneva, Ms. Bain served as President of the 73rd World Health Assembly, Vice President of the Human Rights Council, and Chair of the Human Rights Council Task Force on accessibility for persons with disabilities. Ms. Bain previously served in London and New York postings. She also served as a Crown Counsel within the Office of the Attorney General, Acting Deputy Registrar in the Court of Appeal and Acting Registrar at the Registrar General’s Department, and as the Legal Advisor and Acting Director of Trade in the Ministry of Financial Services, and as a Legal Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, and was a member of The Bahamas Trade Commission, and the Inter-Ministry Committee on Trafficking in Persons.
Ms. Bain holds an LLM in International Commercial Law from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, an LLB (Hons) in Law from the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom, and a BA in Political Science and Economics from McGill University in Canada. She also holds a degree in history and English literature from the College of The Bahamas and had completed a bar vocational course at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom. She is passionate about human rights, trade and development. In her current role, she is committed to improving inter-ministerial collaboration on all of these issues.
Multilateral and Political Affairs Bureau
The Multilateral Political Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the coordination of The Bahamas’ political relations and the advancement of its foreign policy objectives within the multilateral fora. The Bureau covers political issues within the United Nations and its subsidiary organs, other international organizations, including the Commonwealth. Thus, it has responsibility for matters relating to international peace, security and cooperation, space and cyber policies. The Bureau seeks to enhance The Bahamas’ engagement within the multilateral fora to ensure that The Bahamas plays a pivotal role in the development of international law and international policies. It also seeks to ensure that such developments within the multilateral arena would positively impact the sustainable development of The Bahamas and its people.
Ms. Gian Dean
giandean@bahamas.gov.bs
Ms. Gian Dean joins the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a mid-career professional with over twenty years of experience in substantive roles at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She is deeply dedicated to multilateralism: she had the privilege of working with three UN Secretaries-General, including Kofi Annan, and has traveled to over 40 countries with his successor, Ban Ki-moon, attending key global meetings, pledging and climate change conferences, a peace agreement signing, and numerous official visits.
Her extensive experience in political affairs includes electoral assistance, policy planning, and strategic communications within the Office of the UN SG Spokesperson. She has worked with the Policy Planning and Mediation Support Division and the Electoral Assistance Division of the Department of Political Affairs, and the Africa Bureau of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ms. Dean holds a Master’s degree in Diplomacy from Norwich University and a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish for International Business from Georgia State University. She looks forward to supporting The Bahamas’ bid for a non-permanent Seat on the Security Council 2032-2033 and working with the Rotary Clubs on Model United Nations. Immediately upon graduation from high school, Ms. Dean pursued an internship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demonstrating her enduring interest and commitment to multilateral affairs. She looks forward to contributing her vast experience as an international civil servant as Head of the Multilateral and Political Affairs Bureau.
Caribbean & The Americas Bureau
The Caribbean and Americas Bureau serves as a coordinating body for regional bodies and activities for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a coordinating body, it provides policy advice to the Government of The Bahamas on Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States ( CELAC) among other regional organisation. The Bureau focuses on policy priorities including enhancing cooperation in agriculture and food security and facilitating trade and economic opportunities in the region. The Bureau works with regional agencies and institutions strengthening cooperation in areas such as disaster management and response; climate and the environment; the Caribbean Sea initiative; public health; crime and security; education and culture; and post COVID919 pandemic recovery.
Ms. Tracee Dorestant
traceedorestant@bahamas.gov.bs
Tracee Dorestant is a career Foreign Service Officer with nearly 16 years of experience, having joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Public Sector Management, as well as specialized certifications in sustainable development and project management. Throughout her career, she has rotated through all substantive divisions of the Ministry, gaining extensive experience in diplomacy and public policy. Her international service includes roles at the Embassy of The Bahamas in Havana, Cuba, the Bahamas Consulate General in Miami, and, most recently, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, D.C. Tracee has represented The Bahamas at numerous high-level meetings, effectively advancing the nation’s interests in diverse diplomatic arenas.
Tracee currently serves as the Head of the Caribbean and Americas Bureau, where she coordinates The Bahamas’ engagement with the countries of the Americas and regional organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Bilateral & Regional Affairs Bureau
The Ministry’s Bilateral and Regional Affairs Bureau is responsible for managing and maintaining bilateral relations with states and bilateral partners in Europe, Africa, East Asia, South Asia, the Pacific and Oceania, and the Middle East. The Bureau monitors developments in the regions for which it has responsibility and prepares proposals, briefs, and reports on the relevant states and on issues of importance to The Bahamas. The Bureau also works closely with other Government Ministries and Agencies in order to ensure the effective implementation of bilateral cooperation projects and programs.
The Bureau explores potential South-South cooperation with the countries of these regions and seeks to conclude an array of cultural, investment, trade, economic and other types of cooperation agreements to enhance bilateral relations. In 2024, the Bureau is focused on a more holistic approach to strengthening The Bahamas’ bilateral ties with African and Pacific states through increased dialogue and cooperation on areas of mutual interest including at the multilateral level.
Ms. Ieshia Deveaux
iashiadeveaux@bahamas.gov.bs
Trade, Economic & Development Bureau
The Trade, Economic and Development (TED) Bureau is responsible for bilateral and multilateral issues in the areas of economics, trade and sustainable development, climate change, financial services, information technology, agriculture, health (including vaccines and COVID-19), labour and related areas.
A pivotal area of responsibility pertains to all issues derived from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The seventeen SDGs were adopted by the United Nations membership in 2015, as a universal call for action, for the global community to collectively ensue that there is a concerted effort to create a sustainable world for future generations. Ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity are central themes of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals thus provide a useful barometer for Bahamian policy makers to assess national development objectives and priorities. Officers assigned to the TED Bureau have oversight of these matters at the United Nations and its agencies as well as the regional offices that are located in the Caribbean including The United Nations Bahamas Country Coordination Office in Nassau.
The TED Bureau also has responsibility for matters covered by the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat in Brussels and the European Union Delegation Mission in Jamaica. Priority areas of interest include: the CARIFORUM/EU Economic Partnership Agreement; the CARIFORUM/UK Economic Partnership Agreement; The Bahamas’ chairmanship of CARIFORUM for the period 1st July 2023 to 30th June 2024; enhanced political cooperation with the European Union.
On a local level, the TED Bureau serves as the focal point for interaction with the relevant line ministries and financial entities as well as the private sector.
Ms. Charmaine Williams
charmainewilliams@bahamas.gov.bs
Charmaine Desiree Anastasia Williams serves as the Head of the Trade, Economic and Development Bureau in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This assignment signifies the most recent achievement, in a series of appointments and positions that Ms. Williams has held since the commencement of her Foreign Service career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Bahamas, effective December 1996. A plethora of travel duty assignments and training opportunities over the twenty-eight years of her career as well as rotations in all Divisions of the Ministry and supervisory responsibilities, have also buttressed her Foreign Service competencies. Ms. Williams was one of the first Bahamians to work at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana during the timeline 1996 to 1998 where she served as Administrative Officer in the Foreign and Community Relations Directorate. This portfolio allowed for the garnering and development of technical knowledge pertaining to matters of import to the membership of the Caribbean Community. An in-depth knowledge of matters of import in the Commonwealth and the European Union arenas was also attained during a nine-month stay in Oxford, England as part of the Oxford University Foreign Service Programme during the 2000-2001 academic year. As well as, her appointment as Second Secretary/Vice-Consul in The Bahamas High Commission in London from 2003 to 2007.
With a comprehensive technical grasp for deliberations in the multilateral arena, Ms. Williams was appointed as First Secretary to The Bahamas Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York where she served for seven years from September 2015 to July 2022. A significant portion of that posting, encompassed participation in events of the G77 and China and the United Nations General Assembly Second Committee (Trade and Economic Affairs Committee). In these fora, challenges encountered by the Global South, solutions pertaining to the same as well as an interface with the developed world community, the UN development system and international financial institutions was regularly facilitated.
In 2024-2025, Ms. Williams’ has focused the work of the TED Bureau on strengthening capacity and building relationships under the following themes:
climate change ;
SIDS / the challenges of middle-income countries;
The Bahamas’ relations with the European Union Delegation Mission in Jamaica;
The Bahamas’ relations with the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels;
The Bahamas’ relations with the CARIFORUM Directorate in Guyana;
The Bahamas’ relations with the Regional Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica; and
Private sector outreach on trade and investment.
Maritime & Ocean Affairs Bureau
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among other agencies, is responsible for Law of the Sea and Ocean Policy matters in which The Bahamas has vested interest. Due to maritime affairs’ surmounting issues in the international arena, the Ministry formed the Maritime Division in 2018. It was restructured in 2023 and is now known as the Maritime & Ocean Affairs Bureau.
The thematic areas of work of the Bureau include maritime boundary delimitations and the extended continental shelf, and more broadly, the government’s policy surrounding the Law of the Sea and Ocean Affairs i.e. ocean governance, bilateral and multilateral maritime agreements, and other maritime and oceans related issues in coordination with the primary national authorities.
The Bureau supports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in promoting The Bahamas’ role in international, regional, and sub-regional organisations within the spheres of ocean affairs, environment, and maritime security, to both strengthen the objectives of those bodies and to promote the country’s interests.
Ms. Kimberley Lam
kimberleylam@bahamas.gov.bs
Kimberley Lam is Head of the Maritime & Ocean Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. She has primary responsibility for the coordination of the work of the multisectoral National Maritime Delimitation Committee and has represented The Bahamas in boundary negotiations with the Republic of Cuba, the United States of America and the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands.