United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth Congratulates President Obama

United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth today issued the following statement on the results of the United States presidential election:

“Congratulations to President Obama on his victory last night. The United Nations Foundation looks forward to working with the Obama Administration to maintain strong U.S. engagement and leadership at the United Nations — a policy priority favored by the majority of Americans across the political spectrum.

“As the President prepares his second term and a new Congress prepares to be sworn in, key Republican and Democratic leaders continue to remind us that America’s work with the UN has proven to be the most cost-effective way for the U.S. to successfully address global challenges and leverage the nation’s global leadership. It is because of this bipartisan support that we have seen strong funding for the UN maintained over the past four years.

“Last year, former Clinton Administration Secretary of State Madeline Albright and Reagan Administration Secretary of State George P. Schultz joined together with Capitol Hill and executive branch luminaries—from across the political spectrum—to endorse a close, cooperative relationship with the UN. They recognized that the UN’s work enables the U.S. to reap real national security benefits that advance national interests, making us safer and stronger here at home. America’s ability to cooperate with other nations helps defray costs, promote stability, and enhance the impact of our resources. The U.S. cannot combat the world’s challenges alone, and by partnering with the UN, it does not have to.

“We know Americans agree: A bipartisan poll released earlier this year by the UN Foundation and the Better World Campaign found that more than 8 in 10 voters want the U.S. to maintain an active role in the UN.

“Voters have been outspoken that strong consensus remains in a key area of policy: the value of international cooperation and a strong U.S.-UN relationship. As the Obama administration readies for its second term, continued U.S. engagement at the UN should remain a priority. International cooperation ensures America’s ability to lead efforts that build a safer, healthier, and more just world for our children and our grandchildren.”

###About the Better World Campaign
The Better World Campaign (BWC), 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.

About the United Nations Foundation: The UN Foundation connects people, ideas and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. We are an advocate for the UN and help take its best work to scale through advocacy, partnerships, constituency building and fundraising.