New York representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican, testified before the Senate of the Commission of Foreign Relations on January 16, 2025, as a part of her Confirmation process to change into the next US ambassador to the organization of the United Nations.
International diplomacy is the essence of the UN as a former UN official and academic Whoever published broadly on the UN, I do know that diplomacy is an art, not a science.
And a superb ambassador could make an actual difference.
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Direct line from the UN to the President
The countries create and maintain in the UN, they’re essential to assist in confrontation with global crises exceeding the range and strength of each nation.
All 193 governments that make up the UN have ambassadors who negotiate various UN contracts in matters, from terrorism to terrorism nuclear proliferation.
Of all these ambassadors, the American envoy is a very loud and unique work. First of all, the US is a rustic hosting the UN headquarters. The USA can be UN The largest financial co -creator.
Some US ambassadors were skilled diplomats like Linda Thomas-GreenfieldThe current ambassador who was appointed by President Joe Biden in February 2021.
Other former US ambassadors in UN have origin in other areas, In this academyIN journalism AND American policy.
The US ambassador could also be a part of the president’s office and report directly to the president or may not have the rank of a office and as a substitute report to the Secretary of State. Nikki Haleywho was the UN ambassador during the first Trump administration, he had the status of the office, like Stefanik, assuming that she was confirmed.
Having the president’s ear strengthens the influence of the ambassador on the UN
The most vital works of the ambassador
The US Ambassador is an efficient international lawyer of the government’s interests, or in reducing the lack of food safety and prevention of hunger in other countries or an attempt to stop North Korea before Firing ballistic missiles.
The ambassador explains the special positions of the US government towards ambassadors and representatives of other countries in the UN
The US ambassador also listens to foreign representatives about their political positions. The ambassador then acts as a bridge between the UN in New York and the US government in Washington, for instance, moving in difficult conversations about human rights and terrorism.
The third, day by day role of the ambassador is to supervise the 150 of the Department of State and other employees in US mission to the UNThe constructing on the other side of the street from the headquarters of the UN at First Avenue in Manhattan.
Employees of the American mission do all the things from negotiating the resolution of the Security Council to advise the ambassador and other best offices in media relations.
The US ambassador can be heavily involved in the alternative of the UN Secretary General, who conducts organization in his diverse political and humanitarian work over five years.
Countries can nominate individual candidates to act as secretary general. But each candidate must give you the option to gain the support of the United States and other everlasting members of the Security Council who’ve the right to seal and reject the potential UN leader.
The countries will then vote for the appointment of the recent secretary general in 2026.
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UN Security Council
A big a part of the US Ambassador’s work takes place in Security CouncilThe key a part of the UN, whose task is to maintain international peace and security. Since the establishment of the UN in 1945, the Security Council was almost exclusively crisis and emergency.
The Council has more power than probably some other UN branch, because its recommendations and decisions, called resolutions, are considered binding in accordance with international law. . The council voted on sanctions -who may appear like travel bans or freezing international assets-a lot of individuals, countries equivalent to Iran and Somalia, and terrorist groups equivalent to al-Qaida. He can be entitled to authorize UN peacekeeping operations to distribute in conflict zones.
United States, China, France, Russia and Great Britain are five everlasting members of the Council. While other countries turn around and take part in the work of the Council, only these everlasting members of the Council can veto the resolutions – leading to it Frequent gifts.
In 2024, the United States used Power veto five times Reject the resolutions related to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The US ambassador can assist in the decisions of which the issues discuss, design and provide resolutions and influence other members of the Council.
Real negotiations don’t occur at formal meetings which might be routinely emitted live, but in informal consultation Behind closed doors. At this point, diplomats practice their ingenuity and settle their differences.
A couple of days after the terrorist attacks of September 11 at the World Trade Center and Pentagon, US ambassador John NegroponteThe denominator of the then President George W. Bush negotiated the resolution which called for governments to accept one other counter -terrorist classes.
Six months after confirmation of the US Senate Susan Rice As an ambassador, she led the Security Council in 2009 approval of the resolution, which imposed economic sanctions About North Korea in response to nuclear and rocket tests.
Today, the Security Council deals with various conflicts in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The Council also focuses on counteracting terrorism, energy, climate, natural resources and other problems.
Doing
The UN US ambassador is a public figure who is usually to travel outside the country to justify why the participation and leadership of the United States in the UN.
This is significant because Fr. 40% of Americans In 2023, they said that the US doesn’t use a UN member, and in democracy a successful approach of foreign policy should have social support.