Current U.S President Joe Biden’s final UN speech was a passionate farewell to the organization he has worked with for the better part of his career. It also serves as a window into his foreign policy.
His fervent support of Ukraine and his continued support for Israel are both examples of his interventionist policies. He says“…we could have stood by and merely protested” showing his attitude towards these matters. He expands upon this saying, “But Vice President Harris and I understood that that was an assault on everything this institution is supposed to stand for,” further exemplifying his interventionist policies. He then goes on to recount his meetings with foreign leaders and friendships he has made during his administration. He mentions his meeting in Hanoi where he elevated the US-Vietnamese relationship to the “highest level.” In addition to this, he mentions his past positions on issues like the Bosnian War and the apartheid in South Africa; both of which he played a pivotal role in ending. A major part of his speech revolved around the conflicts in the world today; Gaza, Ukraine, and Russia — all have had profound impacts on Biden’s presidency and his policies. He describes the situation in Gaza as ”hell.”
He continues to mention the “thousands and thousands killed” in Gaza, the “dire humanitarian situation” plaguing the small nation. He then advocates for the ceasefire deal put forth to Qatar and Egypt to “end the suffering” in the region. Next, he mentions the plan made with G7 to support the developing countries of the world.
Biden then addresses the rising and rapidly developing technology—AI. He makes clear that “As AI grows more powerful, . . . it also must grow more responsive to our collective needs.” He also makes clear his own opinion on AI, describing its capabilities as “awesome” yet also cautioning that its capabilities must “uplift and empower everyday people, not […] give dictators more powerful shackles on human — on the human spirit.”
He ends the speech optimistically saying, “We saw it — that universal yearning for rights and freedom…” Highlighting the overall hopeful tone of the speech. This speech provides context for many of the choices he made during his presidency and sets the tone for a hopeful future.
