Witney Schneidman

President of Schneidman & Associates International, a Washington-based consulting firm that works with American companies and NGOs active in Sub-Saharan Africa, Witney W. Schneidman is active in a number of Africa-related projects.

Schneidman serves as an adviser to the RLJ Companies on its Liberia Initiative, and structured the $30 million Liberia Enterprise Development Fund. In collaboration with John Zogby of Zogby International, Schneidman developed an Africa-based study on the National Perceptions of the Official Response to the HIV-AIDS Crisis, that was sponsored by UNAIDS and the UN Foundation.

Schneidman was the Senior Adviser at the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation where he was Director of the Global Sullivan Principles on corporate social responsibility and Study Director of the Africa-China-US Trilateral Dialogue, an initiative that promotes greater cooperation and understanding among African, US and Chinese interests.

Throughout the Clinton Administration, Schneidman served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. During this time he was responsible for economic and commercial issues in Sub-Saharan Africa and implemented several acts, commissions, and partnerships aimed at stimulating Sub-Saharan social and economic growth.

Schneidman continued his life as a public servant when, in 2008, he played an active role in Obama’s presidential campaign. During the campaign, he served as co-chair of the Africa Experts Group on the Foreign Policy Advisory team and was a member of the Presidential Transition Team.

Schneidman’s book, Engaging Africa: Washington and the Fall of Portugal’s Colonial Empire, has been described as "a must-read for anyone interested in decolonization or Cold War diplomacy" by Foreign Affairs and his report, "A Ten Year Strategy for Increasing Capital Flows to Africa," was issued by the International Institute for Economics and the Council on Foreign Relations.

With a PhD in international relations, Schneidman is a sought after expert and keynote speaker on African economic and political issues and has been a featured commentator for CBS News, CNN, the BBC, NPR and the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, among other media outlets.

Topics

Politics & Policy: The Impact of the African Economy

Untapped Potential: Investment Opportunities in Africa

Political Stability & Flashpoints in Africa