HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The Consular & Diplomatic Service University (CDSU) is headquartered at the Old United States Embassy in Osu, Accra, Ghana. This historic location, once a symbol of international diplomacy, now serves as a continental academic center for diplomatic education, leadership development, and global service training.
Its central position in Accra makes it accessible to students, faculty, and international partners from across Africa and beyond. CDSU is the official academic and training institution of the African Diplomatic Organization (ADO), formerly known as the African Union Youth Assembly (AUYA).
It is a nonprofit diplomatic university dedicated to preparing young leaders, emerging diplomats, and public service professionals for careers in diplomacy, international relations, global governance, and humanitarian service. As part of the ADO system, CDSU plays a major role in strengthening Africa’s diplomatic capacity and supporting youth participation in global affairs.
The university began in 2015 as the Foreign Service Training Academy, founded in alignment with UNSCR 2250, a landmark resolution championed by HRH Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan.
This resolution emphasized the importance of youth participation in peacebuilding, diplomacy, and global governance. During its early years, CDSU maintained an academic affiliation with the United Nations University, reinforcing its commitment to international standards in diplomatic education.
In 2017, the institution evolved into an autonomous nonprofit university and transitioned from the Emerging Leaders & Diplomats Institute (ELDI) to the Consular & Diplomatic Service University (CDSU). It later adopted the title “Diplomatic University” under an Independent Treaty endorsed by 54 African nations, becoming one of the permanent institutional pillars of the AUYA framework, now ADO.
This treaty-based recognition positioned CDSU as one of the first youth‑focused diplomatic universities on the African continent. CDSU is honored to have His Excellency Dr. Kofi Atta Annan as its Chancellor, a role he held with distinction as one of Africa’s most respected global statesmen. He was preceded by Former President Jerry John Rawlings, who served as Chancellor during the university’s early institutional development, and later by Professor Jeffrey David Sachs, one of the world’s most respected economists, development experts, and global policy leaders. Professor Sachs has served in several senior capacities within the United Nations system, including as the UN Secretary‑General’s Special Advisor on the Sustainable Development Goals, and as a long‑standing advisor to Kofi Annan, Ban Ki‑moon, and António Guterres. These distinguished leaders have each contributed significantly to shaping CDSU’s academic vision, global partnerships, and commitment to diplomatic excellence.
CDSU’s early diplomatic training programs set the foundation for its continental reputation. The first International Diplomatic Training for Emerging Leaders and Diplomats was held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, Ghana. This was followed by a second major training program hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration during the period when the institution operated as ELDI.
These programs attracted the participation of globally respected leaders, including former UN Secretary‑General Kofi Annan, former President Jerry John Rawlings, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo‑Addo, who served as keynote speaker.
Professor Jeffrey David Sachs and Dr. Sonia Ehrlich Sachs also made notable visits during various academic and diplomatic engagements, including the 2019 International UN Youth Summit. As CDSU expanded, it established additional branches to support its global mission. Today, CDSU operates academic extensions in Asia, Europe, and London.
Since 2020, during the global Covid‑19 pandemic, the university suspended all physical classroom activities to protect its students, faculty, and administrative staff. In response to the crisis, CDSU transitioned fully into a virtual online learning system, introducing structured digital classrooms, remote diplomatic training, and online academic support for its students across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the diaspora. Since that transition, all CDSU programs have been delivered exclusively online under the full patronage and oversight of the World Diplomatic Organization (WDO) Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. This arrangement ensures that every program offered by CDSU remains accredited, internationally aligned, and academically supervised within the global WDO education framework.
The CDSU Asia Branch supports diplomatic training across the Asian continent, working closely with the Asian Diplomatic Organization (ASDO). The CDSU Europe Branch focuses on international cooperation, global governance studies, and diplomatic research.
The CDSU London Branch serves as a strategic academic and administrative hub, supporting international students, global partnerships, and advanced diplomatic programs. These branches ensure that CDSU’s training, research, and leadership development programs reach students and professionals across multiple continents. CDSU offers a wide range of academic programs, including diplomatic studies, consular affairs, international relations, global governance, peace and security, protocol and etiquette, humanitarian diplomacy, sustainable development, and leadership training.
Programs are delivered through online, hybrid, and in‑person formats, making them accessible to students across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the diaspora. Today, CDSU stands as a continental and global center of excellence for diplomatic training, youth leadership development, and international service education.
As part of the ADO and WDO system, the university contributes to strengthening Africa’s diplomatic corps, training young leaders in global governance, supporting peace and security initiatives, promoting sustainable development, and advancing Africa’s representation in global diplomacy.
With its expanding global presence and the leadership of Professor Jeffrey Sachs, CDSU continues to shape the future of diplomacy across Africa and the world.
