From 1996 to 1998, Ali moved to the Netherlands to attend Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, earning another bachelor's degree in International Business/Trade/Commerce.

From 1999 to 2000, Ali moved to United States to attend The University of Texas at Dallas to earn another postgraduate degree in Economic and Demographic Data Analysis.

In 2014, Ali moved back to the United States after being accepted into Harvard University, undertaking an executive education course for the Strategic Management of Leaders of non-governmental organizations.

[4] Prior to joining the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Ali served in multiple national and international positions.

While there; Ali established, developed, and led the NIS's operations in Mogadishu, Jowhar, Beledweyne, Baidoa, Kismayo, Galmudug, and Puntland, and organized funding.

[1][4] Ali's last position before joining the FGS was as a Regional Political Adviser to the European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, where he worked from May 2015 to November 2017.

[6] Ali was sworn in as the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 22 November 2021, along with his deputy Mohamud Abdi Hassan (Pekos) at a ceremony at Villa Hargeisa.

While having an Iftar meal with clan elder Yasin Abdisamad in observance of Ramadan, local forces loyal to a more autonomous Puntland attacked.

[18] Governor of Puntland's Mudug region Abdilatif Muse Nur blamed the attack on Ali's arrival in the city to "propagate unproductive policies".

[17] On 24 May 2022, Ali was suspended as MOFA by PM Roble, over allegedly authorizing an illegal export of charcoal to Oman in violation of international sanctions put in place to cut funding to terrorists in the region.