Washington, D.C. (Nov. 24, 2020) — The Better World Campaign issued the following statement on the nomination of Antony Blinken to be the U.S. Secretary of State:
“Antony Blinken is a top-notch choice to be Secretary of State. He is a seasoned and respected diplomat who will speak and lead authoritatively for the United States given his decades of service with the President-Elect,” said Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign.
As the Deputy Secretary of State in the Obama Administration, Blinken promoted the protection of refugees, advocated for ambitious climate action, and effectively utilized multilateral organizations like the United Nations to advance U.S. foreign policy.
“Blinken is uniquely positioned to champion reform and change in our bilateral and multilateral investments to ensure that programs designed to tackle these global challenges are effective and taxpayer dollars are well spent,” Yeo said.
The State Department has been charged with an ambitious to-do list laid out by President-Elect Biden. These items include rejoining the Paris climate agreement, stopping the U.S. exit from the World Health Organization, and supporting the UN Population Fund once again.
“Blinken will need to capitalize on his strong ties with member States and fellow Ambassadors to ensure that these initial steps succeed long-term,” Yeo said. “I have no doubt Tony Blinken will be successful. Once these items have been accomplished, the manifold benefits of global cooperation around transnational challenges like climate, pandemic preparedness, terrorism, and non-proliferation will be clear,” said Yeo.
“On a personal note, I’ve been privileged to know Tony for more than 20 years dating back to his time as the Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when I was the Deputy Staff Director of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He has always been dedicated to public service, a defender of American values, and a true leader during tough negotiations, which is exactly what America needs in the role of diplomat-in-chief.
“We look forward to a continued working relationship with him upon his confirmation. This country and the world will greatly benefit from having Antony Blinken as our next Secretary of State,” Yeo said.
About the Better World Campaign
The Better World Campaign, an initiative of the Better World Fund, works to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the United Nations. It encourages U.S. leadership to enhance the UN’s ability to carry out its invaluable international work on behalf of peace, progress, freedom, and justice. For more information, visit www.betterworldcampaign.org.
Media Contact:
info_bwc@unfoundation.org
