The United States Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as the country’s ambassador to the United Nations. A majority of the Senate voted in favour of Haley, with only four senators, including Democrat Bernie Sanders, voting against the appointment. Haley resigned as the governor of South Carolina following her appointment, NBC News reported.
Haley, who faced questions regarding her lack of experience with global affairs, said she would press for reforms at the UN but would also promote human rights and support international institutions. Criticising Russia, she said it was necessary for the Donald Trump administration to “show them what this new administration is going to be”. It is necessary to stand up to Moscow because of its actions in the ongoing Syrian civil war, she said, according to Reuters.
However, Haley acknowledged that the US needed Russia’s help to fight the Islamic State group. She also said that she did not favour creating a Muslim registry, despite noting the Trump administration’s changed views on the matter. Haley is only the fourth member of the newly-inducted president’s Cabinet to be confirmed by the US Senate.
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley had endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primaries held before the presidential election. She had criticised Trump in her response to Obama’s State of the Union address. This is her first appointment to a federal government-level position.
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