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Adjunct Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies
Contact Info:
Phone: +1.202.509.8524
E-mail: swittels@cfr.org
Location:
Washington
Media downloads:
One-page bio (PDF, 54K)
Former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and Nigeria and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs. Directed the Council–sponsored Independent Task Force that produced the report More Than Humanitarianism: A Strategic U.S. Approach Toward Africa.
Expertise:Sub-Saharan Africa; economic development; democratization and elections; civil reconstruction; conflict prevention; global governance; United Nations; HIV/AIDS.
Experience:Executive Director of the Global Interdependence Initiative, Aspen Institute (1999-2003); Senior Fellow, United States Institute of Peace (1999-2000); Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, U.S. Department of State (1996-98); Ambassador to South Africa, U.S. Department of State (1992-95); Director of Refugee Programs, U.S. Department of State (1989-92); Ambassador to Nigeria, U.S. Department of State (1986-89); Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa (1981-86); Director of the U.S. Aid Mission, U.S. Agency for International Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (1976-78).
Languages:French (familiar).
Honors:Department of State Distinguished Honor Award (1998); President’s Distinguished Service Award (1986).
Selected Publications:"China and the US in Africa: A Strategic Competition or an Opportunity for Cooperation?" (chapter in Perspectives: China, Africa, and the African Diaspora, September 2009); "Obama and Africa: Matching Expectations with Reality," Journal of International Affairs, Spring/Summer 2009 (with Kathryn A. Robinette); "U.S. Foreign Assistance and Trade Policies in Africa" (chapter in Africa Policy in the George W. Bush Years: Recommendations for the Obama Administration, Center for Strategic and International Studies; January 2009); "South Africa: Beacon of Hope to Rogue Democracy?" (working paper, The Stanley Foundation; December 2008); "The War on Terrorism in Africa" (chapter in Africa in World Politics; reprinted with permission); Africa-China-U.S. Trilateral Dialogue (The Brenthurst Foundation, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation; December 2007); Partner to History: The U.S. Role in South Africa’s Transition to Democracy (U.S. Institute of Peace Press, 2002).
Related Links:
Princeton Lyman discusses the negative effects of overemphasizing Nigeria’s strategic importance at the Achebe Colloquium at Brown University (Nigerian Muse; December 11, 2009)
Princeton Lyman discusses Zimbabwe and South Africa politics on Voice of America (VOA News; October 26, 2008)
Darryl G. Behrman Lecture with Jacob Zuma (video on CSPAN.org; October 21, 2008)
Current Research Projects
Past Research Projects
January 29, 2010
Testimony
Africa expert Princeton N. Lyman gives the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations an update on developments in Nigeria.
January 5, 2010
Op-Ed
New York Times
Princeton Lyman addresses the complex issue of reparations for the millions of black South Africans who suffered under the apartheid regime.
See more in South Africa, Human Rights, International Crime
August 5, 2009
Interview
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's seven-nation trip to Africa will highlight U.S. security concerns from Somalia to Nigeria and expand on efforts to engage leading African states on governance and trade issues.
See more in Africa, Somalia, Foreign Aid
April 22, 2009
Interview
CFR's Princeton Lyman says deep economic challenges confront South Africa's presumed next president, Jacob Zuma, but there are also opportunities for improved U.S. ties.
See more in South Africa, Elections
April 21, 2009
Testimony
See more in Africa, Conflict Assessment, U.S. Strategy and Politics
January 22, 2009
Transcript
A panel discussion on how American foreign aid will be affected by the global economic crisis.
See more in Foreign Aid
December 9, 2008
Transcript
A conversation with Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs
See more in Nigeria, Democracy and Human Rights, Rule of Law
December 9, 2008
Audio
A conversation with Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs
See more in Nigeria, Democracy and Human Rights, Rule of Law
October 21, 2008
Audio
Listen to Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), reflect on the recent changes in the ANC and the challenges that face South Africa.
See more in South Africa
October 21, 2008
Transcript
Jacob Zuma, leader of the African National Congress and former deputy president of South Africa discusses South Africa's role in addressing regional challenges and his thoughts about the country's future. After the forced resignation of South African President Thabo Mbeki in September, and the subsequent departure of several cabinet members, it is widely expected that Jacob Zuma will fill South Africa's presidential seat in upcoming elections.
See more in South Africa, Democracy and Human Rights, Elections
October 7, 2008
Podcast
Africa expert Princeton Lyman discusses current political upheaval in South Africa and the outlook for the country's economy.
See more in South Africa, Elections
June 10, 2008
Video
Watch Gareth Penny, managing director of De Beers, discuss economic development in Africa and how the private sector can faciliate sustained growth.
See more in Africa, Business and Foreign Policy, Economic Development
June 10, 2008
Audio
Listen to Gareth Penny, managing director of De Beers, discuss economic development in Africa and how the private sector can faciliate sustained growth.
See more in Africa, Business and Foreign Policy, Economic Development
November 19, 2007
Transcript
John Campbell and the Sultan of Sokoto discuss religion and politics in Nigeria.
See more in Pakistan
October 11, 2007
Audio
Listen to CFR fellows Michelle D. Gavin and Princeton N. Lyman discuss U.S. policy toward Africa with students as part of the CFR Academic Conference Call Series.
See more in Africa, U.S. Strategy and Politics
August 9, 2007
Op-Ed
The Washington Post
See more in Africa, Energy, Global Health, International Peace and Security, Terrorism
September 2007
Book
From Mugabe’s Zimbabwe to conflict in the Horn, Africa has moved off the back burner of U.S. foreign policy. To address the growing importance of this region, the Council on Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs, the Council’s flagship magazine, present Beyond Humanitarianism, a citizen’s guide to deconstructing the complex issues and conflicts on the African continent and clarifying what’s at stake for the United States in Africa’s future.
See more in Africa, U.S. Strategy and Politics
July 17, 2007
Testimony
See more in Africa, Democracy Promotion, Poverty, Foreign Aid
July 2007
Audio
Listen to Princeton N. Lyman, the Council's adjunct senior fellow for Africa policy studies, read from the newest CFR book, Beyond Humanitarianism, a compilation of Council work on Africa.
See more in Africa, Humanitarian Intervention
May 17, 2007
Must Read
A group of Africa experts, including CFR's Princeton Lyman, released a joint statement on the Nigerian elections, which they call a "terrible setback for democracy."
See more in Nigeria, Elections
Explore the international oceans regime with a new interactive from CFR's program on International Institutions and Global Governance.
This report explores how international legal rules regarding military force might evolve to better meet the challenges of mass atrocities.
The authors of this CSR explain why the United States needs to place greater emphasis on preventive action and how current organizational arrangements can be changed to meet that need.
This report addresses pan-Asian and trans-Pacific architectures and guidelines for how the United States can revise its approach in order to consolidate and improve the efficacy of these Asian institutions.
Complete list of Council Special Reports
Through compelling analysis and rich historical examples that span the globe and range from the thirteenth century through the present, Charles A. Kupchan explores how adversaries can transform enmity into amity, and exposes prevalent myths about the causes of peace.
With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine Israel's adversity-driven culture to offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.
Vali Nasr reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world—a new business-minded middle class—that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.
Complete list of CFR Books
For more information on the David Rockefeller Studies Program, contact:
James M. Lindsay
Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair
+1.212.434.9626 (NY); +1.202.509.8405 (DC)
jlindsay@cfr.org
Janine Hill
Deputy Director of Studies Administration
+1.212.434.9753
jhill@cfr.org