Salma Yusuf
Women Mediators across the Commonwealth and the Foundation for Law and International Affairs, Faculty
International lawyer and expert in political sciences, from the Dominican Republic. Adjunct Associate Professor at American University, Washington College of Law (Human Rights and the Environment). International environmental law professor in globally recognized faculties of law, judicial and prosecutorial academies. Member of the Steering Committee of the World Commission on Environmental Law of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), of the group of experts of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for crimes that have serious impacts on the environment and Expert (Chairperson non-national of the Parties) in environmental law and the resolution of disputes of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America.
Provides expertise to high level international policy forums and to different entities and committees in the UN System. Affiliated to the Center of Constitutional Studies of the Supreme Court of Mexico. Designated in 2020 Visiting Scholar at The Environmental Law Institute (ELI). Served for almost two decades at the Organization of American States (OAS) Department of Sustainable Development and Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. Directed multiple initiatives on environmental law and its links to public policies, the rule of law, human rights, business and investment, conflict prevention, security, gender perspective, and the rights-based approach in the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Led joint efforts with the executive, legislative and judicial branches to address challenges to environmental and social governance (ESG) along with security and justice, making significant contributions to environmental legislation, enforcement, compliance and jurisprudence in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 2015-2017, co-Chaired the Green Growth and the Law Working Group of the The Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP). Author of several books and expert publications. Graduate of Universidad Iberoamericana, UNIBE (Doctor in Law). Master’s Degree (LLM) in International Legal Studies from the American University Law School, where she serves in the Program on Energy and Environmental Law Alumni Advisory Council. Certificate in Negotiations from the Harvard University School of Law. Before joining the OAS in 2001, practiced corporate law at Headrick Rizik Alvarez & Fernández.
Key Areas of Expertise: Environmental and social governance (ESG), sustainability, rule of law and justice, public policy, UN and Inter-American System, human rights, trade, investment and environment, conflict resolution and sustainability diplomacy. Skills: Regional leadership, strategic communication and planning, political processes. Negotiation, empathy, culture and diversity awareness.
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