Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Thursday, March 28, 2024

We need a UN ambassador with a global perspective

Earlier this week, United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley announced that she plans to resign from her position at the end of the year. For President Donald Trump, her future departure means the loss  of one of the highest-ranking women in his administration. This is an unfavorable blow to an administration already ridiculed for appointing a Supreme Court Justice accused of sexual assault.

Haley’s decision came as a shock to most Americans. The lack of explanation has the general public and politicians alike theorizing about the possible motivation behind her resignation. 
 
Some hypothesized that she stepped down to focus on a presidential campaign for 2020, but Haley shut down this theory, stating she has no plans for 2020  besides supporting Trump in his reelection campaign. Others believe the previous South Carolina governor was “edged out” by Trump administration officials like National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who advocate for stricter foreign policy than Haley has previously supported.
 
The outgoing ambassador continues to leave Americans in the dark, only offering the explanation that her eight years in government and two years as the U.N. ambassador have been exhausting and she believes in the concept of term limits.
 
Regardless of her true motivation, the hunt for a new U.N. ambassador has begun and, unfortunately, the one leading that expedition is none other than climate change denier and global laughing stock, Trump.
 
Right now is a pivotal time for international relations and global cooperation. Time is quickly running out to mitigate the impacts of global warming and to achieve the sustainable development goals laid out by the U.N. If we continue to view global cooperation as optional and overlook the influence of the U.N., we will put not only ourselves but also the rest of the world in danger.
 
With a head of state who has made clear his apathy for global issues like climate change, gender equality and responsible consumption, it is critical that America has a U.N. ambassador who will act as more than a yes man to the president.
Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox
Although imperfect, Haley was willing to contradict the president on important matters and admit that while she respects Trump, she does not agree with him on every issue. It is unlikely Trump would appoint a replacement willing to make leaps and bounds in terms of U.S. foreign collaboration, but the most we can hope for is a levelheaded appointee.
 
Most issues considered by the U.N. are not partisan in other countries around the world. For example, the U.S. is one of the only countries that has turned climate change into a party-line issue. Other industrialized nations have come together across party lines with the idea that lessening the impacts of climate change is essential to a productive future. The same goes for other sustainable development goals like the development of sustainable cities and promotion of clean energy.
 
What we need now is a U.N. ambassador who can approach the U.N. with a global perspective, not with a Republican or Democratic agenda. Of course, it is crucial that this new ambassador protect the values of the U.S., but it is even more critical that he or she does so without being entirely self-serving.
One of Haley’s biggest flaws during her time as U.N. ambassador has been her unwavering devotion to an “America First” ideology. We need a leader who is willing to negotiate and cooperate with other countries and come to solutions that work for everyone — not just America. We need an ambassador who is capable of protecting the sanctity of the U.S. while remaining open to the needs of other countries and considering the best solutions on a global scale.
Is this the type of replacement we can expect? Knowing Trump, it is not likely, but we can hope.

Abigail Miller is a UF journalism and political science senior. Her column appears on Fridays.

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.