U.S. Ambassador to United Nations visits San Francisco, outlines priorities
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - United States ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield delivered remarks at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel, the site where the UN charter was drafted in 1945. Ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly, she said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left the UN facing a "crisis of confidence." "This is about defending the UN Charter, this is about peace for the next generation, this is about protecting the UN’s principles," said Thomas-Greenfield.
The ambassador laid out six clear principles for UN Security Council members, which include Russia and China. The principles include defending and following the charter, refraining from use of vetoes, except for emergencies and enhancing transparency with the UN General Assembly. "I can’t speak for China and Russia, what we’re doing is setting a standard, a standard that we will adhere to and we call upon others to adhere to," said Thomas-Greenfield.
This week, the ambassador spoke at a meeting of the UN Security Council, as the United States accused Russia of detaining and forcibly deporting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to Russia, something the Kremlin denies. "They’re facing torture, they’re facing separation from their families and many of them are facing death," said Thomas-Greenfield. "It’s absolutely important we shine a light on this and call Russia out for this."
While in the Bay Area, Thomas-Greenfield is holding events on climate action and global food security, which align with the US’s policy priorities at the general assembly. "Climate has been contributing to the food insecurity issue for quite some time, so it’s really important that we focus attention," said Thomas-Greenfield. "The president will be hosting a summit on food insecurity and how we address this issue."
Beyond policies, the ambassador says a major focus of hers is sharing the work done at the UN with American citizens. "Americans need to understand that what we do globally impacts them locally and we have to work with other countries that are important to all of us," said Thomas-Greenfield.
The 77th session of the UN General Assembly will open on September 13 in New York City.