Credit: /ca.usembassy.gov/  Kelly Knight Craft,  was  former U.S. Ambassador to Canada

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –   NEW YORK –  Kelly Knight Craft, 57, is the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.  Last week,  the U.S. Senate confirmed Craft to be Washington’s top ambassador to the UN.   Until yesterday,  the  crucial American diplomatic  post remained vacant a record seven months after Trump’s first UN envoy Nikki Haley resigned last year to spend more time with her family. Craft was confirmed by a vote of 56 to 34,  with only 5 Democrats joining the 51 Republicans backing her approval.  Craft previously ran a marketing consulting firm and served in the administration of George W. Bush as part of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations General Assembly. The Glasgow, Ky., native has served on the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees.  As the former U.S. ambassador to Canada,  Craft served as the President’s personal representative to the government and people of Canada.  She led the U.S. Mission to Canada, which comprises the Embassy in Ottawa and seven Consulates located across Canada. No  Senate Republican opposed her nomination.  Craft, 56, is the first woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Canada. She is married to billionaire coal-mining executive Joe Craft, and they are major Republican donors.  Many view Craft as a weak choice for the crucial U.S. diplomatic posting. Craft is little known in diplomatic circles.  She also has no previous deep diplomatic experience.  Craft will be in global spotlight at the upcoming 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month, where the diplomatic debutante will have her coming out, so to speak, on the world stage.

UN Secretary-General Looks Forward To Working With Trump’s New Ambassador 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  UN Secretary-General Spokesman Stephan Dujarric at press conference at world headquarters Aug. 9, 2019.

“The Secretary‑General very much looks forward to meeting with Ms. Craft, to welcoming her here and, obviously, most importantly, to work very, very closely with her on the very important relationship between the United States and the United Nations.  And I think he’s excited and looks forward to working with her and having the same sort of positive and productive relationship he’s had with her predecessor. We are waiting to set a date for the presentation of credentials, which is the first official step, which will happen, I’ve no doubt, well before the General Assembly gets under way.”

UN Secretary-General Spokesman Stephan Dujarric