The story of a village boy who has overcome all barriers to achieve his life dreams. From my hamlet to the sky. Hard work and integrity are my weapon to compete and win. He became the first PhD in his family history in over 200 years.

Born with an eternal belief in the power of hope, prayer, hard work, and consistency, I am a pure example and witness of how God can take anybody from nowhere and make them global high-impact makers.

An accomplished and highly acclaimed visionary young global leader, rising influential global diplomat, and leading social entrepreneur on a mission to inspire and empower the next generation of young African leaders to work toward their dreams and the common vision they all have for Africa and the world. An outstanding long-time champion of social innovation thought leadership of our time and a world-renowned expert in entrepreneurship ecosystem systems change and geopolitics.

An Ivorian and high-impact emerging entrepreneur and social innovation thought leader, Jean Narcisse Djaha is the Founding President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Council on Foreign Relations, a world-renowned think tank dedicated to advancing Africa’s competitiveness and political and economic interests on the global stage. He is also a Distinguished Fellow for West Africa at the African Council on Foreign Relations, specializing in social entrepreneurship, trade competitiveness, business diplomacy, and business for peace, and geopolitics.

Through the power of his pen, exceptional bravery, and God-given gifted creativity, He was selected as one of the best and brightest minds out of Lycée Djibo Sounkalo of Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire in 1997 to study political theology with many courses in business diplomacy, peace diplomacy, and geopolitics of trade (later), a field that studies the real centers of global economic and political powers. This experience would change his life forever. From 2004 to 2016, He had the pleasure of leading impactful leadership, peace, and educational initiatives in 35 African countries. In addition, He has led programs and projects extensively in every country in West Africa.

A prominent and prolific writer, managing and editor-in-chief, and passionate about the liberal international order, Jean founded Chief Entrepreneurship Magazine Press, the book publishing arm of Chief Entrepreneurship Magazine. He is is the author of Geopolitics of AfCFTA, a book that allows everyday people, governments, and businesses to understand the high-level geopolitical aspect of the African Continental Free Trade Area, free trade agreements, and international trade in general. Future book publications in 2025 include:

• The Next Young African Hero: Maximize Your Circle of Impact, a life-changing book that offers a new impact-making approach for inspiring young global leaders, emerging entrepreneurs, and the next generation of leaders to pursue their dreams with high ambition, raise development aspirations, and realize their full potentials in life.
• Values Create Value: How Values Create Value in Social Innovation, a book examines the relationship between values and stakeholder value creation, discussing how a foundation of shared values can drive long-term prosperity for organizations, entrepreneurial ventures, and nations.
• From Technology to Social Value Creation: How to Drive Stakeholder Value in the Age of AI Disruption, a book that unveils how social innovators can drive public value and transformational change for social good through AI technology.
• The Global West is a Liar: Mother Africa Will Rise Again reminds global leaders of the legacy of peace that must be instilled in Africa at this present time. He exposes and denounces the harsh realities of political and economic crises that darken Africa’s future, not just for current generations but our grandchildren.

Jean is the Founding President, CEO, and Special Envoy for the AU, UN, EU, Bretton Woods and Multilateral Institutions at the Bouake Council on Global Affairs, a leading international public-private partnership and cooperation platform that strives to bring together business and government leaders from both Bouake and Côte d’Ivoire to deepen their economic development relationships. At the Council, he leads initiatives, the Djebonoua Development Foundation, Fonds d’entrepreneuriat Social de Djebonoua, and Réseau des Producteurs Agricoles de Djebonoua.

In 2024, Djaha was the leading architect in building the Dr. Toby Malichi Institute for Global Impact of Dr. Toby Malichi, Hon.D.Bus., DHL, LHD, known as “The Global Godfather,” a purpose-driven, non-profit global Think Tank headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a significant presence in Washington, DC, dedicated to inspiring young global leaders, empowering social entrepreneurs, and creating economic opportunities in a shifting global economy. 

A purpose, vision, mission-driven, and charismatic young global servant leader, Jean is a lifelong active member of Catholic Church organizations such as Saint Vincent De Paul and Saint Egidio Community and has served since 1997. In 1998, as a student, he volunteered for the Liberian war refugees project in San Pedro and Tabou in Côte d’Ivoire, helping them process their cries, sufferings, and pains.

In 2008, with the help of a Catholic Priest, he founded Nouvelle Force, a program and movement that helped young people access food, water, shelter, and a creative environment where they can be heard and acknowledged as people. Consistently lauded as a trailblazer and with a profound advocate for peace diplomacy, Djaha has an abiding interest and passion for art, poetry, and the creative expression of words to advance peace, business for peace, and diplomacy in Africa.

He dreams of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in his lifetime.

Jean has an educational background in political science, international relations, international business and trade, journalism, government, corporate strategy, applied intelligence, and political theology.

Djaha was born and raised in Cote d’Ivoire.