Razan Ali

Research Topic: Corporate Complicity in Conflict Gold in Sudan

Country: Sudan

Columbia Global Center: Nairobi

Razan Ali is a Sudanese advocate and legal scholar with extensive expertise in various aspects of international law, specifically in International Human Rights Law and International Business Law. She holds two Master’s of Laws (LLMs) degrees: one in International and European Business Law from Trinity College Dublin, and the other in Human Rights and Democratisation from the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Law degree (LLD), engaging in multidisciplinary research at the intersection of business and human rights, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law.

Razan's distinguished professional career includes significant roles in conflict-affected regions. She served as a Human Rights and Rule of Law Analyst with UNDP in Darfur, Sudan, and as an Information, Counselling, and Legal Assistance (ICLA) Officer with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Gedaref, Sudan, where she provided critical support to Ethiopian refugees and displaced communities. Her academic contributions include teaching International Human Rights Law to second-year law students at the University of Khartoum. She currently serves as the HRDA Alumni Coordinator at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria.

Razan’s prior research extensively explored the intersection of international human rights and international investment law, with a particular focus on human rights violations in Sudan, as well as issues related to constitution-making and constitutional development. Her academic focus is on business and human rights issues in conflict zones, particularly in extractive industries, as well as peace and security concerns, international human rights, and international humanitarian law.

Razan’s current research investigates corporate engagement in gold mining regions controlled by armed non-state actors in Sudan, addressing critical accountability questions related to corporate complicity in conflict financing and human rights abuses.