Originally published on the CGS blog on September 25, 2009.
Multilateralism is again the focal point for American foreign policy, in a way that has not been seen in a number of decades. The new U.S. engagement is manifesting itself in both word and deed. President Obama’s whirl-wind tour of multilateralism is a refreshing sight. President Obama started his tour with a speech to the U.N.’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s Climate Change Summit. In his remarks, as he repeated in his address to the General Assembly, he stated that the U.S. is ready to address global problems on the global stage. He recognized that, while the U.S. and other Western states have contributed the most to climate change, the least developed States will bear the greatest burdens. He pledged that the U.S. will do more to combat climate change and help mitigate the effects, but reaffirmed that all nations must make legitimate commitments to reverse greenhouse gas emissions. His words were strong and forceful but more importantly his deeds are echoing more forcefully. Domestically the U.S. is making progress to reduce our emissions.
Next, the President spoke to the General Assembly. His speech covered many topics, but emphasized the U.S.’s commitment to engagement and finding comprehensive solutions to global obstacles. He focused on disarmament, peace building, environmental protection, and economic development. However, the U.S. has not only spoken wisely about multilateral policies, the U.S. has taken important steps to ensure cooperation. The U.S. has taken bilateral and unilateral steps to this end. The administration signaled its willingness to sign new treaties with Russia and has unilaterally withdrawn plans to station missile interceptor systems in the Czech Republic and Poland. The following day he chaired the Security Council as he forwarded a new resolution calling on all member states to increase their nuclear non-proliferation regimes, and reinvigorated the IAEA’s role in nuclear arms control.
The multilateralism tour has yet to cease. He is now meeting with the G20 to address climate change initiatives, economic recovery and development. These issues must not be fractionalized/ compartmentalized. The U.S. and political leaders in every state must spend the necessary political capital to ensure that economic growth is also environmentally sustainable.
Click HERE to see our full page on all of Obama’s speeches at the 64th General Assembly of the U.N.
