[ad_1]
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta says she hopes New Zealand and the United States can continue their “warm relationship” under Joe Biden.
The 77-year-old Biden surpassed 270 Electoral College votes with a victory in Pennsylvania around 5.25am Sunday (NZT), defeating Donald Trump after more than three days of uncertainty.
At a press conference in Auckland on Sunday morning, Mahuta said she wanted to acknowledge and congratulate both Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the first black woman and person of South Asian descent to serve in the second largest position. top of the nation.
DAVID BLANCO / THINGS
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta called a press conference Sunday morning following news that Joe Biden had defeated Donald Trump to win the presidency.
Mahuta, who was sworn in as foreign minister on Friday, said New Zealand had enjoyed a “warm relationship” with Biden when he was Barack Obama’s vice president and visited the country in 2016.
READ MORE:
* Election in the USA: World leaders, Jacinda Ardern, react to the election of Joe Biden as president of the United States.
* Three ways the outcome of the US elections will affect New Zealand
* New hands, new approach to Pacific relations?
Mahuta, the first woman in New Zealand to serve on the Foreign Affairs portfolio, also made a special mention of Harris, the first female vice president of color, and said she will bring “some very unique attributes” to her leadership.
He said he anticipated there would be “continued warm talks” between New Zealand and the United States in areas of common interest, such as Covid-19, trade and the issue of global economic recovery.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
Joe Biden (right) meets with then-Prime Minister John Key in Auckland in 2016.
“We enjoy our relationship with them.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern previously congratulated Biden and Harris on their victory, saying that Biden was a “close friend of New Zealand” during his vice presidency.
“New Zealand will continue to work closely with the United States on the issues that matter to us both, including prosperity, security and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Islands regions.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and President-elect Joe Biden.
Ardern said that Biden’s campaign showed the “shared interests we have” in addressing global challenges like Covid-19 and climate change.
“There are many challenges facing the international community at this time, Joe Biden’s message of unity positions us well to meet those challenges.”
