Curtis Ward, a distinguished diplomat, attorney, and international security expert, has died at his home in Maryland, United States. Ward, who served as Jamaica’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations with special responsibility for Security Council affairs, passed away late Sunday, leaving behind a legacy of decades-long service to Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the wider international community.
Born in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Ward attended Manchester High School before pursuing higher education in the United States at Howard University, where he earned degrees in Economics, Political Science, and Law, later also obtaining a law degree from Georgetown University. He began his career in the Jamaican Foreign Service in the 1970s before relocating to the U.S., where he practiced as an attorney for several years.
Ward resumed his service to the Jamaican government when he was appointed to the UN role, serving on the UN Security Council from January 2000 to December 2001. During this time, he contributed significantly to global counter-terrorism, anti-money laundering, and sanctions enforcement initiatives. Over the last two decades, he remained active in regional and international security matters, offering advisory services to the UN, regional organizations, governments, and NGOs. He traveled extensively as part of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, participating in numerous conferences, workshops, and seminars worldwide as a keynote speaker, and lecturing on a wide range of security and international affairs issues.
Ward was also a prolific writer and commentator on public affairs. He founded the blog The Ward Post, through which he shared his views on Caribbean security, UN counter-terrorism policy, international sanctions, and international law. He contributed columns to The Gleaner and appeared regularly on Jamaican radio and television programs, including That’s a Rap and Beyond the Headlines, as well as Power 106 and Television Jamaica.
In 2025, Ward was recognized by Maryland Governor Wes Moore for his decades of service to the state and the Caribbean community. As chairman of the Governor’s Caribbean Community Council, Ward played a key role in advancing the interests of Caribbean nationals living in the United States. During the award ceremony on August 26, Governor Moore praised Ward for his leadership and integrity, describing him as “someone who embodies the true meaning of public service” and noting that he had personally benefited from Ward’s guidance. Ward, humbled by the recognition, emphasized that his work was always focused on advancing the community and state rather than seeking accolades, saying, “Service is an honour, and we should engage in such service for the betterment of our state and country.”
Ward also held academic appointments, including Adjunct Professor in the Homeland Security Graduate Program at the University of the District of Columbia since 2012, and former Adjunct Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs from 2010 to 2014. He delivered lectures at the National Defense University, NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre in Accra, Ghana, and on weapons of mass destruction at the Caribbean Maritime University in Kingston, Jamaica.
In addition to his public service, Ward’s expertise in national and international legal and policy frameworks was extensive. He specialized in anti-terrorism mandates, countering violent extremism, anti-money laundering, countering terrorism financing (AML/CTF), and the implementation of both UN multilateral and U.S.-imposed unilateral sanctions.
Ward’s contributions as a diplomat, attorney, scholar, and public commentator leave a lasting mark on Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the global community. His guidance, knowledge, and dedication to public service will be remembered by colleagues, students, and communities across the region and beyond.
