By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK – In a press briefing on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken weighed in on major issues of interest that were discussed at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) namely the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. Blinken began by addressing the goals the U.S. has as its cornerstone. As Blinken commented: “We believe it makes a difference when the United States shows up, listens, leads; gives us a unique platform to bring others together in tackling the great challenges of our time. It allows us to strengthen the rules and institutions that have helped defend our values and advanced our interests for many years. And all of that, ultimately, is crucial to and comes down to trying to deliver for the American people, which is the animating principle behind our foreign policy.” Blinken added that this week was the first UN General Assembly that met since President Biden took office and he said the president’s approach is effective. As Blinken explained it’s an approach that “there’s a fundamental truth in the 21st century that our own success is bound up with others succeeding as well.”
The secretary of state said that’s why the U.S. is determined to renew its alliances and partnerships and that “our unshakable commitment to NATO” is “reaffirmed” he added, but especially he emphasized the importance of Article 5 and the defense of America’s allies in East Asia. Blinken said: “We’re renewing, we’re broadening, we’re deepening engagement with the European Union and elevating the Quad partnership. We’re re-engaging with regional institutions – from ASEAN to the African Union to the Organization of American States.” Blinken also added that the Biden administration is “revitalizing” its involvement at the UN. He reiterated that America rejoined the World Health Organization (WHO), the Paris Climate Agreement and that the U.S. is seeking a seat at the Human Rights Council and that the U.S. has “reengaged” with the UN Population Fund and the UN LGBTI Core Group. He added that during the UNGA week, that his team was engaging in what he called “relentless diplomacy.” Blinken estimated that he has met leaders from over 60 countries in bilateral, regional or multilateral groupings including the G20, the P5, AEAS, the GCC, the C5 and his counterparts from Central America and Mexico.
Two major challenges Blinken explained were apparent during UNGA week and stood out above all other issues: the first was the COVID-19 situation and the second – the climate crisis. With regard to the pandemic, Blinken mentioned that at the summit that Biden convened on Wednesday, that the U:S: announced new commitments to end the pandemic that include purchasing an additional half a billion does of Pfizer vaccine. Blinken said that means the U.S. will be able to donate over 1.1 billion doses “without any strings attached.” Blinken added that “we are also laser-focused on getting the international community to work together toward three critically important goals.” He stressed that the most crucial was to vaccinate “billions more people and do it as fast as we can” with the goal of fully vaccinating at least 70 percent of the populace in every nation, at every income level with the end goal being the end of 2022. The second step he highlighted is “to take bold steps right now to save lives” by creating major access to oxygen and therapeutics to treat ill patients and to close massive gaps in testing capacity. And the third step, he pointed out is to “build back better” in global health security with the ultimate goal of ending the pandemic and to be in a better position to “prevent, to detect, to defeat the next one.”
The secretary added that America’s message is clear: “It’s not enough to say that we will do better. Our health, our economies, our security demand that we meet our commitments and chart a path to end this pandemic, once and for all.” He said the U.S. “will seize every opportunity” to make sure that happens and that he will be discussing this at the upcoming G20 meeting with regard to “holding ourselves and the international community accountable” for the commitments that were made at the summit. Blinken reiterated that he will convene foreign ministers for a meeting on COVID-19 before the end of 2021. He said that Biden will host heads of state on the pandemic during the early part of 2022.
Highlighting the second major challenge, the climate crisis – Blinken said this crisis must be resolved to prevent “cataclysmic consequences” and referred to the major climate conference, COP26 which will require all nations to participate by committing to the highest possible ambitious climate goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. He said the Biden administration pledged at the UNGA to work with Congress to double public international financing for the countries most impacted by climate change to help them build resilience to adapt, building on levels that he had already doubled back in April. He added that the “international response isn’t as aggressive as it needs to be.” Blinken reiterated the importance of the U.S. influence on other nations in encouraging all countries to work together which is why he said America has a responsibility to “show up, to engage, and to lead.”
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