Walter H. Kansteiner, III

Walter H. Kansteiner, III was the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from June 2001 until November 2003.

Background

Early life

He was born November 11, 1955, in Evanston, IL. [http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/papers/1992/92042203.html]

His father Walter H. Kansteiner died on 11/6/1986 [http://www.wilmettehistory.org/vri/obitK.html]

Education

* 1977 Washington and Lee University B.A
* 1981 American University M.A. in International Economics
* 1985 Virginia Theological Seminary M.T.S in Ethics

Publications

* 1990 Kansteiner, Walter H. "South Africa: Revolution or Reconciliation? " Wilmore, KY: Boston Books. 208p.

Honors and Awards

1991 Kansteiner received the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award for work promoting privatization. [http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2001/0104kansteiner.html]

Family

Mr. Kansteiner is married, has two children Beverly and Chalker(meat face), and resides in Lincoln, VA. His wife, Francine Kansteiner "Franny" is from prominent Republican family from Alabama, which includes Winton M. (Red) Blount, Postmaster General in Nixon's Cabinet. She is a Board member of the WILD Foundation and owner of "The Studio" an eclectic art gallery in Middleburg, VA. Blount and his brother Houston founded Blount Intl, a large construction and manufacturing firm headquartered in Montgomery. This company has been reported to make large contributions to the Republican party.

Francine Kansteiner is an Officer, Director and Advisor to the WILD Foundation. [http://www.wild.org/about/board.html] She is the recipient of the 1991 Local Horticulture Award of the American Horticultural Society [http://www.ahs.org/awards/past_winners.htm]

Career

In the late 1980s, Kansteiner was appointed Director of Economic Studies at the Institute on Religion and Democracy. [http://www.fpif.org/commentary/2001/0104kansteiner.html]

In May 1989, Kansteiner joined the State Department's policy planning staff as Africa director. He served in this position until June 1991, when he moved to the National Security Council as director for African affairs.

In April 1992, he was appointed as the National Security Council deputy press secretary. [http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/papers/1992/92042203.html]

As a founding Principal of The Scowcroft Group [http://www.scowcroft.com/html/staff/kansteiner.html] , Kansteiner has advised corporations on a wide range of mergers, acquisitions and privatizations throughout Africa in the telecommunications, forestry, mining, financial services, health care and aviation industries. Kansteiner advised the buy side on the $1.3 billion privatization of Telkom South Africa, to date the largest privatization in Africa.

Executive Vice President of W.H. Kansteiner, Inc. in Chicago, an agricultural commodity trading and manufacturing company specializing in tropical commodities in the developing world. [http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/updates/050701.htm] [http://allafrica.com/stories/200103080004.html]

In June 2001 he was appointed by Colin Powell as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. In 2003, he left the post, citing family reasons. [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/12045.htm] [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020318.html] citing family reasons.

He was appointed in April 2004 as independent non-executive director to the board of Spescom Limited. [http://www.spescom.co.za/news.asp?menuID=144]

Kansteiner is on the Board of Directors of the Corporate Council on Africa [http://www.africacncl.org/About_CCA/board.asp] , African Development Foundation [http://www.leadershipdirectories.com/fmfyb9.htm] , and Sierra Rutile [http://www.kfmb.com/story.php?id=16349]

Views

In his speeches, Kansteiner, emphasized thesee five policy goals for Africa:

* Increase democracy, good governance, and respect for the rule of law.
* Combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.
* Expand United States trade and investment with Africa to spur economic development and improve the well-being of Africans.
* Conserve Africa's environment because people and the institutions they create to govern themselves cannot prosper when the air is not fit to breathe, water is unavailable, and forests and farmlands have turned to dust.
* End Africa's wars. Doing so is an absolute necessity, and you really can't pursue the other four policy goals without it.

peeches

[http://www.cfr.org/pub4731/walter_h_kansteiner_andrew_natsios/briefing_on_the_food_crisis_in_southern_africa.php Briefing on the Food Crisis In Southern Africa] Introduced and Co-authored by Andrew Natsios Remarks at Special Briefing, Washington, D.C., Aug 20, 2002

Walter H. Kansteiner and Anne M. Alexander “U.S. Policy Priorities in Africa,” Corporate Council on Africa West Africa Oil and Gas Forum, Houston, TX, November 2002

[http://www.cfr.org/pub6368/princeton_n_lyman_walter_h_kansteiner/africa_a_continent_faces_the_future.php Africa: A Continent Faces the Future] Introduced and Co-authored by Princeton N. Lyman Council on Foreign Relations, New York, NY, September 15, 2003

Walter H. Kansteiner and Anne M. Alexander “Extractive Industries and Governance in Angola,” Corporate Council on Africa, June 2003

Memberships and Affiliations

U.S. Department of Defense Strategic Minerals Task Force

The Forum for International Policy Senior Associate

Member of Council on Foreign Relations

Center for Strategic and International Studies Senior Associate, New Global Economy Project: Steering Committee and International Advisory Board Member

In 2006 he became a board member of WildlifeDirect.

External links

* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2002/11955.htm US Department of State: Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Walter H. Kansteiner to Travel to Angola and Nigeria]
* [http://www.zimbabwedemocracytrust.org/outcomes/details?contentId=1424 Excerpts at Special Briefing - leaves U.S. State Dept] by Walter H. Kansteiner III, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, United States Department of State October 28, 2003, Washington, D.C.
* [http://www.rasmusen.org/x/archives/c/archives/cat_cia.html]
* [http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/CynthiaMcKinney/news/pr010328.htm Letter to Bush Regarding Kansteiner] Cynthia McKinney, Member of Congress
* [http://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/events.taf?EventID=GC05&SPID=1609&cat=allconf&function=show&level1=speakers&level2=bio Bio - Walter Kansteiner]